Girls gymnastics: Scouting the MSL meet
Girls gymnastics / Scouting the MSL meet
When: 6 p.m. Friday at Hersey
Teams to watch: Fremd and Barrington have made separation from the remaining 10 Mid-Suburban League schools heading into Friday night's conference meet, and both the Vikings and Fillies seeming to be peaking at the right time. The two schools met in a triangular on Jan. 8, but both teams were a bit rusty due to a lengthy holiday break with Fremd prevailing 144.9-142.6.
Since then Fremd and Barrington have both upped their game by hitting season-best scores.
A core group of seniors led by Christine Radochonski, Sydney Plichta and Emily Neal set the tone for Fremd, which hit a season-high on Jan. 17 (147.825) and then topped that mark in winning the MSL West Division title on Jan. 22 (148.95). Junior Carly DeFilippo has developed into a key all-around threat for the Vikings while junior Mariah Gura, sophomores Gab Lytle and Kailyn Bryk along with with freshmen Abby Moran and Kaylin Lemajeur give the Vikings plenty of depth. Fremd has won three consecutive MSL titles and six out of the last seven, and the Vikings will be looking to continue that trend on Friday. "The girls' goal is to continue to keep getting better and better," said Fremd coach Elise Ference, whose team has won consecutive third-place state trophies. "The girls are motivated … they're hungry to do better than last year." And they are hoping to use Friday night as a launching pad.
Barrington's attack has also been rising. Junior Abby Hasanov has powered the Fillies, lifting them to a season-high 147.10 at the Lake County Invite on Jan. 17. Junior Molly Blanke has been coming on strong and won both the vault (9.7) and beam (9.45) at Lake County. Last year Barrington made its first state appearance since 2003, but this year the Fillies are deeper and have definitely put themselves in position for a state trophy. Seniors Jessica Lee, Jada Jones and Tara Schumann have helped to elevate the Fillies' attack, while sophomores Hayley Nilles and Rachel Timperman have also contributed, with senior newcomer Kseniya Kisleva adding to the talented team. "Definitely one of the deepest teams we've had in a while," said Barrington coach Jason Loeffler, whose team is after what would be its first MSL title since 2000. "We have not put our strongest lineup out there, but we have shown our flexibility and we definitely have a lot more to give."
Prospect is coming off its first-ever state qualification in 2014, and the Knights will be in the hunt for a state berth once again this season. Senior Maddie Larock and sophomore Olivia Gonzalez helped Prospect to a season-best score of 144.3 on Jan. 17. Schaumburg started the season a bit slow, but since the beginning of the year the Saxons have put up some impressive scores, including a season-high 140.45 on Jan. 17. Freshman Mikayla Vogt and junior Jessica Muza have stepped up to pace the Saxons' charge. Hersey (136.20), Palatine (135.60) and Rolling Meadows (135.20) have also made progress.
Individuals to watch:
Abby Hasanov (Barrington) - Hasanov earned three state medals her sophomore season and the Fillies junior has not missed a beat this season. She has gone above 37.0 mark for the all-around on three occasions including hitting a season-best 37.77 at the Lake County meet. Hasanov finished second in all-around at the MSL meet last season and will be in the mix for the title this season.
Maddie Larock (Prospect) - The Knights senior hit a season-high 37.5 in the all-around at the Prospect Invite on Jan. 17. She finished third in the all-around at the MSL meet last season and has been consistent this season in pushing the Knights' attack. Larock has become a pressure player, as evidenced by the 9.55 she delivered on beam to help Prospect secure the MSL East division title.
Christine Radochonski (Fremd) - The senior had been a specialist her first three years but has transitioned into the No. 1 all-arounder for the Vikings this season. She's made progress all season and went above the 37.0 mark on Jan. 22, hitting a season best 37.7. Also keep an eye on her floor routine; she hit a 9.9 on the floor at a mid-December triangular.
Kelly Johnston (Rolling Meadows) - The Mustangs junior was no-show in the all-around early in the season as she dealt with an injury. But she has come back strong, hitting season-best 37.5s in back-to-back January meets. Last year Johnston won the beam title, and she has been solid on the apparatus this season, having produced a 9.75 on Jan. 19.
Olivia Gonzalez (Prospect) - The Knights sophomore has had a breakout season and has definitely polished off her all-around skills. She hit a 37.05 in early December but has been slowed a bit due to back issues. Gonzalez has had an extended rest period and should be ready to go on Friday. She could be a wild card in the all-around race.
- Michael Eaken