Scala, Prospect claim 5th straight regional crown
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Six teams went above the 140 mark at the Mid-Suburban League conference meet last Friday, including Prospect (143.675) and Schaumburg (140.175).
The scores got a bit tighter on Monday at the Prospect regional.
Junior Gianna Scala gave host Prospect a lift by taking first in the all-around (37.7) leading the Knights to their fifth consecutive regional title with 139.85 points.
Schaumburg took second with 133.55 points, followed by Elk Grove (127.60) and Hoffman Estates (113.325).
Prospect advances as as team to the Fremd sectional in Palatine next Monday at 6:30 p.m.
"Scoring was tough, but it is the state series," said Prospect coach Randy Smith. "The lower scores didn't come from the judges, they came from our routines. It was an eye opener."
But luckily for the Knights, Scala had an eye-opening performance while taking first on the beam (9.425) and floor (9.5) and adding second-place finishes on the vault (9.475) and bars (9.3).
"It was definitely not the meet we wanted," said Scala who had a clean night from start to finish. "We know we can do better. We know we need to do."
Prospect had a few last-minute lineup changes and was also missing the services of junior Jackie Difonzo.
But the Knights were able to grind out the victory.
Sophomore Maddie Larock recovered from a fall on her dismount on the beam to take first on bars (9.375), second on floor (9.325) and third on the vault (9.3).
"Beam was really rough," said Larock, who took third in the all-around (36.275). "But we were able to come back on the floor and hit."
Freshman Megan Donner added a fifth-place finish for the Knights on floor (8.5), and sophomore Maddie Boldt contributed a fourth-place finish on bars (8.8).
Junior Ashley Chimis (8.9) and junior Kat Young (8.775) gave Schaumburg a lift on beam by going 4-5 on vault.
Saxons freshman Caitie Poland took fifth on the bars (8.725) and fourth in the all-around (33.85).
Junior Tarah Schomer also helped the Saxons' score with a third-place finish on beam (8.275) and sixth-place effort on floor (8.475).
"We knew it was going to be tighter," said Schaumburg coach Jami Stilling, whose team looked solid in the opening on the vault and bars. "Going over 140 at conference was nice, and it is something for the team to build on."
Elk Grove junior Amelia Rafferty was coming off an all-around title at the MSL meet, and she continued her momentum on Monday.
Rafferty took second in the all-around (37.05). She was first on vault (9.65), second on beam (8.875) and had third-place finishes on bars (9.225) and floor (9.3).
The Grenadiers junior started the night by hitting her Geinger release on the bars.
"I've just been really improving on my consistency on the bars," Rafferty said. "My consistency has been helping my confidence, and I have been able to focus on form."
Hoffman Estates sophomore Jasminka Sabic took fifth in the all-around (33.80), as she hit big on the floor (9.05) taking fourth place.
"I have continued to gain confidence on the floor and have been practicing hard," Sabic said.
