Auburn Gymnastics Center’s level 5 gymnastics team earned the program’s first boys win of the season Sunday in Concord at the 2010 Lord of the Rings competition.

The 12-member level 4 and level 5 boys hit routine after routine on the floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar.

Coach Dylan Etievant was impressed with the efforts.

“This competition definitely put us on the map as a team to beat,” Etievant said.

David Hunt of Meadow Vista, Rhett Miller of Grass Valley, Brady Turner of Penn Valley, Drew Strange of Nevada City and Joshua Hartman of Grass Valley earned the level 5 team win.

Miller dominated on floor, pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar, Hunt hammered the competition on high bar, Turner placed third overall and Strange had his best day on vault. Hartman turned in consistent efforts on the pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar.

Auburn’s Zeph Thomas, a level 4 gymnast, placed second overall in the youngest age division. Thomas won rings (15.4) and high bar (15.3) in addition to top-5 finishes on floor, pommel and parallel bars.

Teammates Kyle Verweij of Auburn and Kedin Etievant of Grass Valley both had their best day on vault, with Etievant placing in the top half of the 14 boys in the youngest age division.

Level 4 boys in the middle age division were Bryce Dunigan of Cool and Austin Schmitt of Penn Valley. Dunigan was in the top-10 out of 18 on floor, rings and high bar — a season best for the new competitor.

In the older age division Chas Van Middelkoop and Austin Richards of Auburn competed against 13 boys. Van Middelkoop won parallel bars with a 15.1 and was in the top-10 in every category. Richards was in the top-10 on rings and high bar.

The level 4 team finished fourth out of six teams from Santa Cruz, Petaluma, Oroville, Rancho Cordova and Concord.

Boys competitive gymnastics is just one of the classes offered at Auburn Gymnastics Center. Call (530) 823-2031 or go to for more information.