Senior pride powers 9.9 floor routine for Fremd's Radochonski

Fremd's Christine Radochonski was looking to finish her final senior night girls gymnastics meet with a bang. And the Vikings senior did just that.

Radochonski ended her night with a sizzling floor routine, taking first with a 9.9 in leading host Fremd to a first-place finish at the Mid-Suburban triangular meet with 147.55 in Palatine on Thursday.

"The score was a surprise, but what she brings to the table was not," said Fremd coach Elise Ference of Radochonski's floor routine. "It was her senior night, she wanted to go out with a bang and that is exactly what she did."

Schaumburg took second with 136.10 points followed by Buffalo Grove (129.15)

Fremd was looking to bounce back after a subpar performance last Wednesday night, and with Radochonski anchoring the attack the Vikings rose to the occasion.

Radochonski took first in the all-around (36.85), tied for first on the vault (9.4) and added a fourth-place finish on beam (8.9) before he big floor finish.

"Yeah, it was senior night so I knew I had to give it my all," said Radochonski. "My team was backing me up with some great scores, I just wanted to build on it."

Fremd started strong on the vault, with junior Gab Lytle giving the Vikings a huge lift by tying for first (9.4) with a Yurchenko Pike. Junior Carly DeFilippo also injected a bit of energy by taking second in the all-around (36.35), second on the floor (9.4), and third on the vault (9.35).

"We started off the right way on vault," said Ference of the Vikings' opening series. "Gab (Lytle) took to a whole another level and the girls just built off it."

Senior Sydney Plichta kept things rolling by taking first on the bars (9.35) and third on beam (9.1), with junior Mariah Gura adding a first-place finish on beam (9.3) and a third-place finish on bars (9.25).

"After last week we knew we had to get our game together," said Radochonski. "We've been working hard and pushing each other and I think it showed tonight."

Schaumburg also had a strong showing, junior Catherine Poland supported the Saxons' attack by taking second on bars (9.3). Freshman Mikayla Vogt added a strong vault (9.1) and junior Jessica Muza hit big on floor (9.2).

"We're working hard in practice every day adding new skills," Poland said of the Saxons' performance. "We just want to keep improving and keep going for a higher score."

Junior Diandra Duenser powered a young Buffalo Grove attack, taking third in the all-around (36.15). Duenser had solid night which included a second-place finish on beam (9.2) and a third-place finish on floor (9.3).

"It was a good night, I went 4-for-4," said Duenser, "Last year I just missed qualifying for state by hair. This year I have been polishing up all my routines and qualifying for state is the goal."