COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Heilie Isaacs (Northbrook, Ill.) scored a 9.050 in ribbon, the highest score of the afternoon in junior competition, to propel herself to the title of Junior National Champion at the 1998 U.S. Rhythmic Gymnastics National Championships, held Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

A member of Rhythmic Gems gymnastics club, Isaacs scored a 35.950 total in the four events Sunday, which contributed 70 percent of her final score of 35.845, well ahead of silver medalist Jessica Howard (Jacksonville, Fla.), who tallied a final score of 35.288. The bronze medal went to Danielle Lord (Tualatin, Ore.), who finished with a 35.210.
The National Championships selected the members of the 1998-99 U.S. Junior National Team. Rounding out the squad were Lindsay Powell, Jacksonville, Fla., Erin Jeffress, Rockville, Md., Michelle Goldstein, Wilmette, Ill., Lauren Hovey, Winnetka, Ill. and Lisa Welshinger, Rockville, Md.
In group competition, Illinois Rhythmics held on after leading preliminaries to claim the title of Group Junior National Champion with a score of 49.350. Rhythmflex Gymnastics of Rockville, Md., was second with a 48.750, while Scherba’s Sports Center was third at 43.050.
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1998 U.S. Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colo., June 5-7, 1998

Junior Division (final standings, top 8 named to U.S. Junior National Team)
1, Heilie Isaacs, Northbrook, Ill., 35.845. 2, Jessica Howard, Jacksonville, Fla., 35.288. 3, Danielle Lord, Tualatin, Ore., 35.210. 4, Lindsay Powell, Jacksonville, Fla., 35.133. 5, Erin Jeffress, Rockville, Md., 34.520. 6, Michelle Goldstein, Wilmette, Ill., 34.018. 7, Lauren Hovey, Winnetka, Ill., 33.771. 8, Lisa Welshinger, Rockville, Md., 33.268. 9, Maya Craig, Novato, Calif., 33.225. 10, Alexandra Hain, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., 33.099. 11, Jennifer Sihn, La Canada, Calif., 32.523. 12, Suzanne Mena, Skokie, Ill., 31.998.


Junior Group Competition (standings after prelims, finals on Sunday)
1, Illinois Rhythmics, (Elizabeth Bradford, Wilmette, Ill.; Alexandra Dubovik, Northbrook, Ill.; Valeria Kharina, Skokie, Ill.; Marissa Pierce, Highland Park, Ill.; Brenann Stacker, Lincolnshire, Ill.), 49.350. 2, Rhythmflex (Victoria Jones, Rockville, Md.; Erin Jeffress, Rockville, Md.; Lisa Welshinger, Rockville, Md.; Alexandra Diaz, Washington, D.C.; Helen Sigalov, Chevy Chase, Md.), 48.750. 3, Scherba’s Sports Center (Irina Korosteleva, San Francisco, Calif.; Nina Chubrikova, San Francisco, Calif.; Julia Baskin, San Francisco, Calif.; Helen Dreyman, Walnut Creek, Calif.), 43.050.