BAINBRIDGE — The Bainbridge Spartans claimed third place in the District 2 3A/2A Championships and will advance as a team to the state gymnastics championships Friday in Tacoma.

It was a huge victory for the Spartans, to be sure. Nine gymnasts — six of them freshmen — will represent Bainbridge at the championships this weekend.

Spartan Coach Cindy Guy said the team found out they were headed to state during Saturday’s warm ups at the district competition.

“We are very happy with our results,” she said. “At the meet we handled the pressure and scored our second highest total of the season.”

Bainbridge won the beam event with a team total of 41.8 points. Briana Bruyere was fourth for the Spartans, while teammates Emma Chee and Siqi Talley placed fifth and sixth, respectively.

The Spartans also excelled in vault, with Talley taking seventh place with a score of 8.7, and on bars, where Talley claimed first place (9.25) and Remi Rosencrans was second (9.05).

In all-around competition, Talley was third (35.40) and Rosencrans was fifth (34.05).

Holy Names won the district championship with a team score of 169.825. Ballard was second with 164.675.

Joining Talley, Rosencrans, Bruyere and Chee on the trip to state will be Ashleigh Cate, Kylie Danile, Willa Jones Irwin, Karena Klinkenberg and Alathea Pippinger.