State champion gymnist Arianna Dawson competes next at regionals

Arianna Dawson, a Webb City gymnist, won a state championship in St. Louis last weekend and now has her sights set for regionals at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

This is actually the second year in a row that she won first place on the uneven bars. She scored 9.675 (10 being the highest). She also won first on the floor, scoring 9.475, and second on the balance beam, scoring 9.075, and fifth place on vault.

Arianna, a 13-year-old seventh grader at Webb City Junior High School, has been an upper level “optional” competitive gymnast since kindergarten. She trains every night after school until 8 p.m. at Helix Athletics.

Baseball Cardinals return home with 9-2 record

Webb City baseball returns to Chuck Barnes Field Thursday for the Cardinals’ first conference game.

The opponents are the 5-5 Neosho Wildcats, who are coming off an 18-17 home win Tuesday against Marshfield.

The Cardinals’ 13-0 defeat at McDonald County Tuesday came after two wins and a loss at the Springfield Red & Blue Tournament. On Friday, they defeated Belton 4-1. They started play Saturday with a 10-9 win over Lee’s Summit North and ended with a 9-0 loss to Kearney.

After five away games (Glendale Saturday, Branson Tuesday, Republic Thursday and Hillcrest Friday), the Cardinals will return home Tuesday, April 16, to host Carthage.