Weary Glenbard South ends busy stretch with win
After the final team scores for Riverside-Brookfield and Glenbard South were announced on Wednesday night, the Raiders gymnasts breathed a huge sigh of relief.
It wasn't so much that the Raiders prevailed - they did that with a 119.5 to 115.15 victory - as it was that their grueling week finally came to an end.
Glenbard South was competing for the fifth time since last Wednesday.
"I could see that the gas tank was almost empty, and I told them that I was sorry that the schedule was like that but that there's a light at the end of the tunnel," Raiders coach Lee Wood said. "That's why they were such a cheery bunch afterward, because they knew that it was finally over."
Senior Kate Rumel led the Raiders, winning the all-around with a 32.65. She also had meet-high scores in three events.
"We've just been trying to keep up because we've been so busy," she said. "We've gotten off to a good start, but this has been a tough test on the body over and over again."
The Raiders improved to 3-1 in dual meets, but their biggest achievement was winning the Vernon Hills Invite on Saturday.
"Nobody was watching scores or the other teams, so it was a perfect situation," Wood said. "They fought hard and they won the fight, so it was a great accomplishment."
One of the team's biggest contributors has been freshman Michelle Glover. While many gymnasts got their start before they could walk, Glover only started competing in the park district five years ago.
She was third in the all-around on Wednesday with a 30.95 and won the floor exercise with an 8.15.
"I've injured my back a little bit, but I still think I did a pretty good job," she said. "Some of my skills were a little off, but it happens sometimes."
Junior Stephanie Mondragon was third on beam with a 7.55, as well as on floor with an 8.0. She was the team's third all-arounder, finishing with a 30.
In her third year on the team, Mondragon has been pleased with how the team has come together and found success so quickly.
"Everyone has a great attitude here and is committed to the team," she said. "We've bonded really well and try to do a lot of outside activities, plus we have a smaller team which means more quality time to get better."
Libby Kohout and Katie Longo competed in multiple events. The Raiders counted Kohout's 7.7 on vault and 5.95 on beam and Longo's 5.5 on bars and 6.75 on floor.
Now, the team can recover a bit and hit the gym to diagnose where they need to improve most.
They won't compete again until the Niles West Invite on Dec. 19, and then they'll be off until the Evanston Invite on Jan. 3.
"Our bodies and minds are a little tired from all this, but it's going to help us when we get back to practice," Rumel said. "We've got some new skills and new routines that we'll finally have a chance to work on."