Ultimate gymnasts reunite for wins at Midwest Open
Submitted by Jane Feely
With the high school gymnastics season over for another year, its stand-out athletes return to their club teams with their sights set on further honors.
At the recent Midwest Open meet held in Tinley Park, the Level 9 team from Ultimate Gymnastics of Gurnee got a significant boost. Joining teammate Bailee Hardy, who placed third on uneven bars, were Warren High School seniors Krystal Kofoed and Kelsey Stoecker.
Krystal finished second on floor exercise and third on beam at the meet, while Kelsey took bronze on vault.
At Level 8 there was success for another high school athlete. Glenbrook North’s Carli Betman, who narrowly missed a spot in the event finals on vault at the recent IHSA State meet, took gold in this event in the Senior B age group, along with bronze on both beam and floor.
Her club teammate Caroline Grumhaus won the all-around and the floor titles, while Hunter Bode was second on floor.
Meanwhile, in the Level 8 Senior A age group, the top honors went to Emily Whitis, who placed first on beam, floor and in the all-around. In the Junior B section, Ella Peter came away with two silver and two bronze medals.
The Level 7 team turned in another outstanding performance, taking the first-place team award. In the 11-year-old age group, Sylvia Raquel scored 38.075 to place first in the all-around. She also won the floor and beam titles and was runner-up on vault and bars.
Her teammate, Libertyville’s Grace Miller, tied for the top spot on floor and took the gold medal on uneven bars. She was second in the all-around.
Competing in the 13 and over age group, Laken Ritzert won vault and bars and placed second on floor and in the all-around. The top spot on floor went to Round Lake’s Gabrielle Panlaqui, who also tied for silver on vault.
In the 12-year-old age group, there was gold on vault for Leah Medenwaldt, silver on floor for Chapin Grumhaus and bronze on bars for Jessica Pasquesi.
In the Level 5 session, Ashley Derrick came out on top in the 7- to 8-year-old age group. She also placed first on vault and on uneven bars, was second on floor exercise and third on beam.
In the 10-year-old age group, Gianna Pasquesi won gold on beam and silver on vault. She was also second in the all-around. Her teammate, Mary Xakellis, placed third on floor. Among competitors ages 12 and over, Natalie Warnes was first on beam and second in the all-around, and in the 9-year-old age group, Kayleigh Glickley was third on beam.
At Level 10, there was a silver medal for Emily Basara on bars in the Junior B age group and a bronze medal for Winthrop Harbor’s Lauren Marshall on floor in the Junior A group.
The Level 6 girls were not in action at this meet.
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