It might be difficult for Mountain Range to win a second state title in more ways than one. First, the Mustangs of coach Jo-di Tapia, the 2007 All-Colorado coach of the year, are moving from Class 4A to 5A.

Secondly, they will be without two-time all-around champion Anna Simmons, who has opted to forego her junior season to compete at the club level, to help secure her college scholarship.

Still, Mountain Range will be formidable among the 5A schools with the return of Jamie Fiske, who was fourth in the all-around and fourth on floor exercise. Helping to make up for the loss of Simmons will be the return of Brittany Logan, who was injured last season and did not compete. Logan placed sixth in the all-around as a freshman in 2006.

Also back are Shawnie Abbott, a sophomore who was a state finalist on vault, balance beam and floor last season, and Kate Straushein, a finalist on the beam.

* There are six gymnasts in 5A who placed among the top six in the individual events last season who return. They are are Loveland's three-time all-around champion Hannah Bower, Green Mountain's Kelly Stone, Bear Creek's Kaitlyn Olson, Doherty's Sarah Moldenhauer, Pine Creek's Dayne Queillo and Fort Collins' Michelle Tharp.

Tharp has been one of Bower's biggest challengers the past two seasons. She was second in the all-around as a freshman in 2006 but slipped to sixth last season. Still, she claimed individual titles on the uneven bars, floor and vault last season.

Stone, third in the all-around in 2005, was the state vault champion in 2006 and second on the apparatus last season, while Olson finished sixth on floor. Moldenhauer was second on beam and Queillo fifth on bars.

* Simmons made it a complete sweep last season, winning the all-around as well as each of the four individual events. The favorite's role to win the 4A all-around championship goes back to Pueblo Central's Tera Sisson. She won the title as a freshman in 2005 but has had to settle for runner-up the past two years behind Simmons.

Sisson finished second in the balance beam and vault last season and could move up on the uneven bars after last year's third-place finish.

But Evergreen's Bethel Lindsley, Mandy Flesche and Allison Robinette, coming off an injury, are set to offer strong competition in the all-around and individual events. Lindsley, third in the all-around, should aid the Cougars to the 4A team title.

There will be plenty of room on the winner's platform in 4A as only three other placing gymnasts beside Sisson and Lindsley return. They are Sterling's Erin Krause (sixth on balance beam) and Lindsey Benson (sixth, uneven bars) and Pueblo Central's Kelsey Downs-Nogare (sixth in the all-around, fourth on beam).