Prospect clinches MSL East girls gymnastics title
Prospect girl's gymnastics team was missing half of its one-two punch on Wednesday night, but senior Maddie Larock delivered a knockout for the Knights anyway.
Prospect all-arounder Olivia Gonzalez was held out of the meet due to back issues, but Larock was solid from start to finish in winning the all-around (37.3) and leading the Knights to a Mid-Suburban East title with a triangular victory with 138.10 points at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.
Host Hersey took second with a season best 136.20, followed by Buffalo Grove (130.30).
Larock swept all four events taking first on the vault (9.35), bars (9.35), beam (9.4), and floor (9.2) in helping the short-handed Knights hold off the Huskies.
"What can I say? She's rock solid," said Prospect coach Randy Smith of Larock's performance. "She's getting better every meet and she's definitely getting better under pressure."
Prospect was limited to four gymnast on three events, but with Larock anchoring things the Knights didn't miss a beat. Larock ended her night by hitting a round-off double full dismount on beam to seal the victory.
"There was definitely pressure without Olivia (Gonzalez)," added Larock who was coming off a season-best all-around score (37.5) on Saturday. "There was no room for error, and we knew we had to hit, but it was a good test."
Prospect got off to a shaky start on floor (33.6), but the Knights responded on the final three events, including a very solid bar effort (35.5).
Junior Candice Melendez gave Prospect a big lift with a second-place finish on floor (9.0), and junior Olivia Sullo rose to the occasion with a second-place finish on bars (9.25).
"Even though we're missing some girls I think the team is coming together," said Melendez, who was part of the season-high 144.3 the Knights produced on Saturday. "It was really exciting starting off on floor and I think the whole team delivered tonight."
"It wasn't easy," said Larock of the Knights' drive to the East Division title. "Hersey is really talented, but we were able to come through."
Hersey was aided by the return of junior Alysa Zurlo, who'd missed over a month with a hip flexor injury. She returned to full competition on Wednesday, shaking off the rust and energizing the Huskies by taking third on vault (8.9) and floor (8.9) as Hersey hit its season-best score.
"I'm a little disappointed - the injury took longer than I thought - but it was good to be back tonight," said Zurlo, who'd hit a season-best 36.525 in the all-around before being sideline by the injury. "We definitely have that drive and we all want to get better."
"She hasn't been able to do full routines for about three weeks," said Hersey coach Shannon Barrett of Zurlo. "It was a good meet for her. She's rusty, but she's back."
Hersey was especially strong on on beam, with freshman Mackenzie Kamysz (9.3) and sophomore Ali Heidrich (9.0) going 2-3. Kamysz added to her big night by tying for third on bars (8.75) and floor (8.9) and taking second in the all-around (35.35).
"I needed them to stick beam and that's what they did," said Barrett. "We've been up and down with injuries this season. Tonight, they pulled it together."
Buffalo Grove was competing in its third meet in five days hitting a season high 133.15 on Monday.
Diandra Duenser once again paced a young Bison attack by taking second on vault (9.2), tying for third on bars (8.75) and adding a third-place finish in the all-around (35.05).
"First two events were definitely kind of shaky," said Duenser who hit a Yurchenko Pike on the vault to turn her night around. "Hitting my vault put me in the right mood to nail bars. We're a young team but we're definitely growing."