Stevenson's Weisberg wins - again

Alyssa Weisberg of Stevenson landed herself in some very good company after her performance in Saturday night's finals of the high school girls gymnastics state meet at Palatine High School.

Weisberg chalked up the state balance beam championship with a 9.65, winning the event for a second straight year.

"I really don't have words to describe all of this," Weisberg said. "I don't think exciting is the right word. I just think all of this is pretty cool."

Weisberg's back-to-back feat marks the first time a Stevenson gymnast has repeated as beam state champ.

"I really didn't expect this," Stevenson coach Judy Harwood said. "It's one of the hardest things to do. She just surprises me every day."

The last Stevenson gymnast to accomplish something similar was Lindsay Borkan, who earned back-to-back honors on the uneven parallel bars in 2003 and 2004. Borkan also won all-around honors in those same years and also won bars in 2001.

Just before the beam finals got started on Saturday night, a fire alarm went off in the gym, forcing everyone out of the building. After a 15-minute delay before returning to the gym the meet was resumed.

Weisberg was the fourth gymnast to compete in the rotation.

"I actually was lucky, because right before it happened I got my headphones," Weisberg said. "I was able to zone out for a while.

"It's not the physical aspect, because I know that I'm physically capable to do every skill. It's how you train yourself with the mental capability."

Mundelein's Mckenzie Kehr finished seventh on the beam with a 9.275.

"I was just excited to make the finals," Kehr said. "I was proud of what I got.

"If anything, the delay added more to the craziness. I did have time to settle down a bit before going. I was definitely more nervous than I thought I would be on the event. I was giving it my best shot."

Rachel Underwood of Prairie Ridge finished first on vault with a 9.8. Barrington's Abby Hasonov tied with Michelle Cozza of Lyons on bars with 9.5, and Kelsey Kurfirst of Lyons earned top honors on the floor exercise with 9.675.

Lyons won its second straight team championship with a 151.275. Prairie Ridge was the runner-up at 148.85 and Fremd finished third at 146.675.