| USFSA May Day Competition in Laurel |
| Fourteen Piney Orchard figure skaters provided exceptional performances at the annual Laurel May Day Invitational, held May 13-15 at the Garden’s Ice House in Laurel, Md. The event was sanctioned by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA). The highest level Piney Orchard skater competing in Laurel was Emma Wiedmaier, the team’s only junior level freestyle skater. Wiedmaier, a junior at South River High School, skated well during her junior long program and finished ninth in a large and very competitive field. Members of the Odenton-based squad captured eight gold medals in a variety of skill levels and categories. Sisters Vickie and Gabrielle Karolenko both won gold medals in their respective ice dancing competitions. Vickie, a home-schooled sophomore, captured first place in her Pre-Silver solo dance competition. The younger Gabrielle won her preliminary solo dance event. In other events, Katie Allen and Laura Seal were first place finishers in their respective Preliminary (high) Free Skate competition. Seal also added a silver medal in Pre-Juvenile Jumps and a sixth place finish in Pre-Juvenile spins. Kaitlyn Wilson, a freshman at Chesapeake High School, earned a bronze medal in her Preliminary competition, Ashleigh Starr captured fifth in her Preliminary Artistic event. Taryn Meyer also earned a fifth place spot for her Preliminary Free Skate and added a second fifth place finish in Pre-Juvenile compulsory moves. In Pre-Preliminary competition, South River sophomore Megan Stilling captured a gold medal in her category, while Arundel freshman Annie Rackley earned a bronze medal in the same category. Caitlin Farnan earned a bronze medal in Pre-Preliminary Freestyle. Gina Blades -- a junior at Olde Mill Christian Academy -- captured a gold medal in her No Test Freestyle category, as did Devin Brooks. Allison Farnan tied for third place in her No Test Freestyle competition, while Ashleigh Starr added a seventh place finish in No-Test compulsory moves. Regyn Farnan completed Piney Orchard‘s participation, winning the gold medal in Tots Compulsory Moves and fourth in Tots Freestyle. |
| Piney Orchard Reach for the Stars 2005 |
| Skaters from the Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team captured 15 gold medals on their to winning the annual “Reach for the Stars” figure skating competition held May 1 at the Piney Orchard Ice Arena in Odenton. The event was sanctioned by the Ice Skating Institute (ISI). Piney Orchard skaters earned 132.5 points in winning the day-long competition -- 24.5 point better than the second place squad from Fredericksburg (Va.) Ice Arena. Baltimore’s Northwest Ice Arena captured third place with 99 points, followed by Frederick (Md.) Ice Sports and Fort Washington’s Tucker Road Figure Skating Club. Of the 32 medals earned by Piney Orchard skaters, 20 were earned in individual competition, with nine of those gold. Linnea Shapter was the first of the nine, earning the top spot in her Delta category. Melissa Stanley was a gold medal winner in her Freestyle 4 event and Audrey Simmons captured gold in her Freestyle 2 competition. In Spotlight Freestyle competition, Haley Vaughanearned gold in the Alpha category, Devin Brooks claimed gold in her Freestyle 5 event, and Suzanne Lardeo captured first place in Freestyle 6 competition. Artistic Freestyle gold medal winners included Annie Rackley (Artistic 5), Zainab Abdul-Rahim (Artistic 2), and Jessica Kennedy (Artistic 5). Individual silver medallists were Lauren Risher (Freestyle 2), Michelle Rackley (Alpha Spotlight), Taryn Meyer (Artistic Freestyle 5), Kelly Jeon (Artistic Freestyle 4), Kaitlyn Wilson (Artistic Freestyle 6), Taylor Brazil (Freestyle 3), and Stevensville’s Jennifer Christie (Freestyle 4). Earning solo bronze medals were Allison Fortney (Alpha); Megan Stilling (Artistic Freestyle 5) and Carli Jenkins (Artistic Freestyle 6). Emily Pringle earned a fifth place ribbon in Freestyle 3. In the couple events, POFST skaters earned a pair of gold medals and one silver. Annie Rackley and Megan Stilling’s “Bad to the Bone” routine earned them a first place medal, edging out teammates Devin Brooks and Jennifer Christie in couples spotlight for Freestyle 5 and above. Leslie Baker and Stephanie Hasson took the gold medal in the couples spotlight for Freestyle 4 and below. In synchronized competition, the Bowie Metroliners Teen Synchro squad -- which includes POFST members Annie Rackley, Megan Stilling, Jessica Kennedy, Laura Seal, Gina Blades and Gabrielle Karolenko -- won top honors. The Piney Orchard Icettes took the bronze medal. The Icette members include Leslie Baker, Kelly Jeon, Atheena Boutselis; Devin Brooks; Madison Slattery; Sabrina DiStasio, Lauren Risher, Rebecca Dyer Stephanie Hasson, Shayna Schmuff, Brittany Uebel and Jamie Shavatt. Piney Orchard’s Starlettes also earned a third place finish in the Youth Synchro category. The eight-member Starlettes are: Jennifer Christie, Allison Fortney, Jessica Bast, Sarah Haines, Meredith Winkler, Megan and Jenna Ring and Emily Roberts. All other POFST medals were earned in team maneuvers competition, where three-to-four members squads are judged on specific moves, based on ISI Freestyle levels. In seven different maneuver events, POFST skaters captured four gold medals, two silvers and a fourth place. |
| 2005 Reach for the Stars Full Results |
| 2005 Reach for the Stars Schedule |
| Some scenes from the Reach for the Stars Competition . . . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| USFSA Testing at Bowie April 28, 2005 | ||
| Carli Jenkins reached the top rung of the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) testing ladder when she successfully passed her Senior Moves in the Field test at a recent USFSA test session held at Bowie Ice Arena. By completing the senior moves test, Jenkins will receive special gold medal presented by the USFSA. It is first of two gold medals Jenkins hopes to obtain before she graduates in 2006. She also hopes to achieve her gold medal in Ice Dancing by passing the final three tests in that discipline. | ||
 |
||
| Jenkins was one of nine Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team skaters who completed USFSA testing in Bowie. Five Piney Orchard skaters successfully passed juvenile testing. Those skaters were: Laura Seal of Riva, Annapolis’ Evelyn Shapter, Crofton’s Megan Stilling and Annie Rackley, and Glyndon’s Gabrielle Karolenko. Devin Brooks of Fort George G. Meade passed her pre-preliminary freestyle test, then followed by passing her preliminary moves in the field. In dance testing, Gabrielle Karolenko passed all three preliminary dances -- the Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango and Rhythm Blues. Gabrielle’s older sister Vickie completed her Fourteenstep (Pre-Silver level), Evelyn Shapter successfully tested the Hickory Hoedown (Bronze level); and Crownsville’s Erin Cress passed her Rocker Foxtrot (Silver level). | ||
| ISI District IV Championships | ||
| The Piney Orchard Icettes competed at the recently completed Ice Skating Institute District IV championships in Richmond and captured a bronze medal for their efforts. Members of the 2005 Icettes squad are: Leslie Baker, Kelly Jeon and Atheena Boutselis of Odenton; Devin Brooks of Fort George G. Meade; Severna Park's Madison Slattery; Sabrina DiStasio of Severn; Lauren Risher and Rebecca Dyer of Crofton; Stephanie Hasson of Gambrills; Shayna Schmuff and Brittany Uebel of Pasadena; and Bowie's Jamie Shavatt. Congratulations ladies. | ||
 | ||
| USFSA Testing Results | ||
| Congratulations to Lindsey Flood for passing her United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) Novice Moves test March 25 at the University of Deleware. | ||
 | ||
| POFST Skaters Compete at CRC's | ||
| Eight Piney Orchard skaters competed at the 30th Annual Capital Region Council (CRC) competition held March 12 and 13 at Bowie Ice Arena. POFST skaters who medaled included Devin Brooks, who claimed a silver medal in her "No-Test" category; newcomer Taryn Meyer, winner of bronze medal in girls preliminary (low); Kaitlyn Wilson, a silver medal winner in girls preliminary (high); Greg Triantafillides, who took a bronze medal in Silver Mens catagory, and Britt Slattery, a fourth place winner in the Bronze Ladies competition. Other skaters from POFST who competed include Annie Rackley, Megan Stilling and Jessica Kennedy. | ||
| Skate Annapolis Competition | ||
| Piney Orchard skaters grabbed 11 medals at the annual Skate Annapolis ISI competition, held March 5 and 6 at the U.S. Naval Academy's Dahlgren Hall. Of the 11 medals captured, two were gold. On Saturday. Odenton's Megan Barrett outskated two other competitors to win her Freestyle 4 category, while Fort Meade's Devin Brooks was a gold medal winner in her Freestyle 4 spotlight Sunday afternoon. POFST skaters also captured three silvers, three bronze and three fourth place medals in the two-day competition. Crownsville's Melissa Stanley finsihed second in a group of four in her Freestyle 4 category, while Jennifer Christie of Stevenville-- another Freestyle 4 skater--took the silver in her age group. The third silver medalist was Odenton's Alexandra Barrett, who earned a second place finish in her Artistic Freestyle 4 event Sunday morning. Odenton's Audrey Simmons was the team's only individual bronze medalist, taking third place in her Freestyle 2 category. Bronze medals were also captured by the eight-member Piney Orchard Starlettes and the 12-member Piney Orchard Icettes in their respective synchronized skating categories. Piney Orchard Icette members are: Leslie Baker, Kelly Jeon and Atheena Boutselis of Odenton; Devin Brooks of Fort George G. Meade; Severna Park's Madison Slattery; Sabrina DiStasio of Severn; Lauren Risher and Rebecca Dyer of Crofton; Stephanie Hasson of Gambrills; Shayna Schmuff and Brittany Uebel of Pasadena; and Bowie's Jamie Shavatt. Starlette members include: Jennifer Christie of Stevensville, Millersville's Allison Fortney, Odenton's Jessica Bast, Sarah Haines and Meredith Winkler of Crofton; Severn's Megan and Jenna Ring, and Emily Roberts. Fourth place medals were awarded to Allison Fortney of Millersville (Alpha), Baltimore's Emily Pringle (Freestyle 3) and Lauren Risher of Crofton (Freestyle 2). | ||
| POFST Skaters Return Following National Competition in Massachusetts | ||
Five members of Odenton's Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team competed at the United States Figure Skating Association's National Synchronized Team Skating Championships in Lowell, Mass., Feb. 23-26.
In addition to the four Metroliners from POFST, Lindsay Wenger also made, competing with the Pentagon Inter Collegiate Synchronized Skating Team. "PICS" is a squad of collegiate skaters representing academic institutions in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. Skating in Collegiate Group B, PICS finished in eighth place and didn not qualify for the final round. The University of Miami (Ohio), followed by Western Michigan and Michigan State. Wenger, who coaches skaters at Piney Orchard and is a member of POFST, represents the University of Maryland on the squad -- the only intercollegiate team assembled for the competition. | ||
| Results from Bowie Valentine's Day Competition | ||
| Members of the Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team earned 18 medals at the annual Bowie Valentine's Day competition, sanctioned by the Ice Skating Institute (ISI) and held at Bowie Ice Arena February 13. Individual skaters earned two gold medals, five silver medals, four bronze medals, and a pair of fourth place awards during the day-long competition. The Odenton-based team also earned a gold medal and a silver medal in synchronized skating and a bronze medal in couples spotlight.
Piney Orchard's first four medals earned at Bowie were silver, with Fortney starting the POFST skaters day earning a second place in her Alpha competition. Regyn Farnan of Davidsonville captured a silver in her Freestyle 1 competition, as did Pasadena's Jocelyn Ellis (Freestyle 1) and Audrey Simmons of Odenton (Freestyle 2). Jocelyn earned a second silver medal later that day by teaming with sister Mikayla in a family couples spotlight event. Earning the last of the silver medals was the 12-member Piney Orchard Icettes, which claimed second behind the Bowie Metroliners Teen Squad and ahead of Frederick's Team Vogue. Members of the Icettes are: Leslie Baker, Kelly Jeon and Atheena Boutselis of Odenton; Devin Brooks of Fort George G. Meade; Severna Park's Madison Slattery; Sabrina DiStacio of Severn; Lauren Risher and Rebecca Dyer of Crofton; Stephanie Hasson of Gambrills; Shayna Schmuff and Brittany Uebel of Pasadena; and Bowie's Jamie Shavatt (see photo). Receiving bronze medals in Bowie were Mikayla Ellis of Pasadena (Freestyle 3), Megan Barrett of Odenton (Freestyle 4), and Zainab Abdul-Rahim of Annapolis (Interpretive Spotlight FS 2-3). Baltimore's Emily Pringle claimed two fourth place medals, earning one in Freestyle 3 and a second fourth place award for Interpretive Freestyle 3-4. Eight other Piney Orchard skaters earned medals at the Bowie competition, though not skating directly for the POFST. Greg Triantafillides of Annapolis captured a second place finish in Adult Artistic Freestyle 4-5 and added a third place finish in Adult Interpretive Freestyle 4-6. The other medal, a gold, was earned by seven POFST skaters who skate with the Metroliners Teen squad -- a 12 member group that captured fourth place at the recently completed USFSA Eastern Regionals in Buffalo. Those POFST members include Annie Rackley, Megan Stilling and Jessica Kennedy of Crofton, Riva's Laura Seal, Evelyn Shapter of Annapolis, Odenton's Gina Blades and Glyndon's Gabrielle Karolenko. | ||
| USFSA Testing Held February 8 at Bowie | ||
| Five POFST skaters successfully completed testing at the recently completed U.S. Figure Skating Association test session held February 8 at Bowie Ice Arena. Lindsey Flood completed her Pre-Silver dancing requirements by passing both the European Waltz and the Foxtrot. Another successful ice dancer was Evelyn Shapter, who passed her Swing Dance test. Gabrielle Karolenko successfully tested in Pre-Juvenile Moves, while older sister Vickie passed her Novice Moves, and Gary Cress passed his Preliminary Moves test. Please remember -- if you test at the U.S. Figure Skating Association level -- no matter at what rink you test at, please e-mail your test results to Chris Jenkins, the POFST USFSA liaison, at jenkins5th@comcast.net. Ms. Jenkins will use the results to update the team bulletin board, provide information for news stories and the POFST Web Site and help the team keep record of USFSA test records for POFST Members. | ||
| Greg T. Takes a Gold | ||
| Congratulations to POFST's Greg Triantafillides for capturing the gold medal in the Mens Adult Bronze Free Skate at the New Year's Adult Invitational competition held February 5th and 6th, sponsored by the Washington Figure Skating Club. Triantafillides, another of the team's competing adults, finished ahead of Eli Snyder of the White Plains (NY) Figure Skating Club and Lyle Walsh, representing the Figure Skating Club of Charleston (S.C.). | ||
| POFST Skaters at Eastern Sectional Championships | ||
| Four members of Odenton's Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team will be competing at the United States Figure Skating Association's National Synchronized Team Skating Championships in Lowell, Mass., Feb. 23-26, after qualifying at the Eastern Sectional Championships. The four skaters -- Crofton's Carli Jenkins, Lindsey Flood of Severn, Emma Wiedmaier of Edgewater and Glyndon's Vickie Karolenko -- will compete with their Bowie Metroliners teammates following the Metroliners' fifth place finish at the USFSA Eastern Sectional Championships held Jan. 28-30 in Buffalo, N.Y. The invitation marks the second straight year that the Metroliners' junior team will advance to the national championships. All four were all on the junior synchro ensemble that competed in the nationals at San Diego last season. Taking first place in Buffalo in the Junior category were The Colonials of West Acton, Mass., followed by the Superettes of Warwick, R.I. Taking third were the Skyliners of New York, with Black Pearl, representing the Hayden Recreation Centre of Lexington, Mass., finishing fourth. While the Junior Metroliners prepare for Lowell, seven additional Piney Orchard skaters completed their USFSA competition season in Buffalo by capturing fourth place honors in the Teen Intro Synchro Skating Championships. Nineteen teams -- split into two groups -competed for 10 spots in the finals. The Metroliners qualified by taking second place in their group, then competed the following day and earned a pewter medal -- signifying a fourth place finish. Piney Orchard skaters competing with the Metroliners Teen Intro squad include Annie Rackley, Megan Stilling and Jessica Kennedy of Crofton; Riva's Laura Seal; Evelyn Shapter of Annapolis, Odenton's Gina Blades and Gabrielle Karolenko of Glyndon. First place honors went to the Shadows, representing the Figure Skating Club of Southern Connecticut. Shoreline of Cape Cod, representing the Bourne (Mass.) Figure Skating Club, captured the silver medal; while the Crystalettes from the Alexandria Bay (N.Y.) Figure Skating Club took the bronze medal. | ||
| POFST Skaters Earn Medals at Laurel ISI Competition | ||
| Piney Orchard skaters earned three gold medals and two silver medals at the Garden Ice House's annual Ice Skating Institute competition held Janaury 17. Earning a gold medal was Severn's Suzanne Lardeo, who capture the top spot in her Freestyle 5 category. Also earning gold were sisters Mikayla and Jocelyn Ellis of Pasadena -- winners of the competition's couples spotlight-light entertainment category. Both Ellis sisters also earned individual silver medals, with Mikayla taking a second place finish in her Freestyle 3 category and Joselyn claiming the runner-up spot in her Freestyle 1 event. The Laurel event also saw the 2005 deput of the 12-member Piney Orchard Icettes, which claimed the first place prize in their synchronized skating category. This year's Icettes members include Leslie Baker, Kelly Jeon and Atheena Boutselis of Odenton; Devin Brooks of Fort George G. Meade; Severna Park's Madison Slattery; Sabrina DiStacio of Severn; Lauren Risher and Rebecca Dyer of Crofton; Stephanie Hasson of Gambrills; Shayna Schmuff and Brittany Uebel of Pasadena; and Bowie's Jamie Shavatt. | ||
| Synchronized Skaters Have Successful Weekend in Michigan | ||
| In Fraser, Mich., members of the Piney Orchard team competed with two Bowie Metroliners squads that earned top five finishes at the annual USFSA Mid-American Synchronized Skating Team Championships. In the Teen Intro "B" Category competition held January 15, the Metroliners -- with POFST members Annie Rackley, Megan Stilling and Jessica Kennedy of Crofton; Riva's Laura Seal; Odenton's Gina Blades and Gabrielle Karolenko of Glyndon -- finished in fifth place out of 10. The Metroliners' Junior Team -- with POFST Members members Carli Jenkins of Crofton, Edgewater's Emma Wiedmaier, Lindsey Flood of Severn and Glyndon's Vickie Karolenko -- finished seventh in their short program held January 15, but rallied the following day to finish tied for fifth place in the Juniors long program. The success of their second-day performance will help build confidence as the Metroliners prepare for the USFSA Eastern Sectionals, slated for January 28-30 in Buffalo, N.Y. A year ago, the Metroliners' junior squad captured a third place finish at sectionals and earned a spot in the National Junior Synchronized Skating Championships. |
