Defending champions Buford, North Oconee qualify for finals at GHSA Gymnastics Championships

The preliminary rounds of the Dr. Lucia Norwood GHSA Gymnastics State Championship Wednesday set up the finals schedule for Fridays championship event at Buford Arena in Suwanee.

On Friday, the championships begin at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude around 9 p.m. when the two champions are crowned.

In the states new-look highest class (5A-6A) North Forsyth led qualifiers with a 111.750-point performance. Also qualifying for the finals was three-time defending-champion Buford (110.4), Forsyth Central (108.55) and Carrollton (108).

Buford won its first three titles in 2014, 2015 and 2016 before winning the past three in Class 6A-7A.

In Class 1A-4A, North Oconee has won five-straight titles and after scoring 111.757 points, the top-ranked Titans will lead Bremen (106.4), Union Grove (101.275) and Westminster (101.025) into the championship.

North Oconee won its first title when the sport was reclassified, removing the Class 6A and then-7A teams and since, the Titans have not lost, winning in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and last season. The championship was cancelled in 2020 during the pandemic.