The Auburn Mountainview gymnastics squad came out on top in the West Central District III 3A gymnastics team competition on Saturday at Auburn Mountainview High School, posting a 167.925 team score.

The win qualifies the Lions to compete for the 3A state team title this Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

Auburn Mountainview was paced again by the one-two all-around punch of Natalie Hostetter and Lexi Morton who finished second and third with scores of 35.650 and 35.175, respectively.

Hostetter finished first in the bars with a 8.675, second on the beam with a 9.225, fourth on the vault with a 8.600 and sixth on the floor with a 9.150.

Morton grabbed second on the vault with a 8.850, second on the floor with a 9.475, third on the beam with a 9.150 and fourth on the bars with a 7.700.

The team also got a lift from Sara Fiksdal’s 32.425 all-around, good for a tie at sixth-place.

Also contributing to the win for the Lions were Jecinda Goodman, Katie Hayward, Michelle Tanco, Alex Gondry, Cassie Hunt, Lauren Kmiechick and Sydney Coleman.

The Mount Rainier team finished second in the team competition with a 152.700 and North Kitsap grabbed the last team allocation with a 142.900.

The state 3A championships get under way this Friday at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall and continue on Saturday.

ELSEWHERE: Auburn’s Alexis Moore and Auburn Riverside’s Danielle Paris will compete in the state 4A meet.

Moore qualified with a second-place finish on the beam with a 9.475 score. She also qualified in the floor exercise with a 14th-place finish, 9.100 point routine. Moore was 34th in the all-around with a 26.850.

For the Ravens, Danielle Paris will compete on the bars at state. Paris was ninth on the apparatus, with a 8.250. She was also 14th in the all-around with a 33.625.