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Glenbard North gets help from new faces

Sophomore Erin Bregman just decided she needed a change.

Senior Katie Murphy realized it was now or never.

The two gymnasts have made the transition from club gymnastics to Glenbard North this winter. They debuted on Monday night and helped the Panthers cruise to a 137.55-116.4 victory over Neuqua Valley.

"I always wanted to come out for the team and I finally decided I needed a break from club," Bregman said. "It sounded like it would be much more fun, more calm, but I didn't decide until about two weeks before the season started."

Murphy, on the other hand, had been thinking about change for a while. Two years ago, former standout Amanda Quinn tried enticing Murphy to become a Panther, but she shied away.

"That was sophomore year and I wasn't ready," Murphy said. "I wanted to stay in club to get all my skills. So I did that, but now it's my senior year and I've always wanted to do it. It's my last chance and I want to have fun."

Murphy won beam with a 9.35. She also took second on floor with a 9.3 and on bars with a 7.9.

Bregman won the all-around with a 37.1. She was the top performer on three events, earning a 9.35 on vault, 9.2 on bars and 9.1 on beam.

"I'm used to practicing more on my routines before a meet like this," she said. "But I was pretty happy with how I did with so little practice."

Glenbard North also received a 7.9 on beam and 8.05 on vault from Leah Roman, a 7.05 on bars and a 9.05 on floor from Anna Slater and a 7.5 on bars, 7.95 on beam and a 9 on floor from Allison Wahrman, who made the transition from club to high school last winter.

Glenbard North coach Kristen Nordquist also provides instruction at Palmer's Gymnastics in Bloomingdale, so she's known many of her gymnasts since they were little kids.

"I was their teacher for some of them when they were 6 and I was 14," Nordquist said. "There's a nice relationship because I've known them forever. I know how they practice, what they can and can't do, so it's been exciting to come back to Glenbard North because I get all these kids I've been working with a long time."

The Wildcats were competing for the second time this year and improved on the 114.4 they posted at Hinsdale South's Hornet Invite last week.

"I want to see consistency, I want to be able to see my girls hit routines and I want see when we compete, what we see in practice," Wildcats coach Anthony Avella said. "Today we did fine in two of our events, but we need to pick it up on bars and vault."

Senior Meghan Leschock led Neuqua Valley with a 29.35 in the all-around.

"She has been doing very well in the gym this past week," Avella said. "That's really due to her hard work in practice. She's always trying to get better."

Isis Ruff scored a 29.2 in the all-around, which included a pair of 8.3s on floor and beam. Colleen Moauro added a 27.7.

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