Girls gymnastics / State meet scouting, Northwest
Girls gymnastic / Scouting the state meet
When: Session I at 5:05 p.m. Friday (all-around final, individual event preliminaries, team competition). Session II, 5:45 p.m. Saturday (championship finals in individual events, team trophies).
Where: Palatine High School.
Automatic team qualifiers (with sectional score): Prairie Ridge co-op (149.25), Geneva (146.00), Lyons Township (144.35), Glenbrook South (142.625).
At-large team qualifiers: Fremd (146.95), DeKalb/Sycamore co-op (144.60), Barrington (144.275), Prospect (144.075).
Team outlook: Prairie Ridge co-op has earned three consecutive state trophies, including back-to-back runner-up efforts the past two years. The Wolves hit the top state mark this season (149.95) in late January and kept rolling in the postseason with regional (149.05) and sectional (149.25) titles. But it hasn't been easy. Prairie Ridge co-op senior Riley Mahoney, a Cary-Grove student, suffered a season-ending injury for the second consecutive year in early January. The Illinois-Chicago-bound Mahoney would have definitely given the Wolves a big lift. The injuries continued to pile on, as Cary-Grove junior Maddie Solka was limited to two events at the sectional due to a back injury and Cary-Grove senior Dylann Perrone went down at sectionals with a knee injury after a bad fall on bars. Despite those issues, the Wolves enter the state meet with the top sectional mark. Cary-Grove senior Rachael Underwood, who will attend Western Michigan, has been a standout. She is looking to add to her six state medals this weekend and enters with the top sectional mark in the all-around (38.375), vault (9.725), and bars (9.725). Cary-Grove sophomore Nikki Baers will also look to give PR a lift. So Prairie Ridge co-op still enters as the favorite, but its margin of error has definitely shrunk.
Fremd has earned 22 state medals, including 12 state titles. Despite its accomplishments the Vikings have glided into the state meet somewhat under the radar. Fremd notched the second-best sectional score and is in great position to not only challenge for a trophy but also contend for a state title.
Geneva sophomore Claire Rose Ginsberg has set the tone for the Vikings this season. She is looking to defend her all-around title and will key a Vikings attack that is poised to earn a state trophy. Barrington, DeKalb/Sycamore co-op, Lyons, Prospect, and Glenbrook South form a tight chase pack.
Local focusFremd: The Vikings' attack has been simmering for most of the season, and it just might boil over this weekend. Fremd hit a season-best 148.95 in January; the Vikes kept things rolling by winning Mid-Suburban League and regional titles. A trio of seniors have set the tone for the Vikings. Christine Radochonski (all-around, vault, beam, and floor), Sydney Plichta (bars, beam), and Emily Neal (bars) all qualified individually for the Vikings. Radochonski was a specialist her first three years but has made a smooth transition in becoming the Vikings' top all-around gymnast. She definitely supplies the fire to the Vikings' attack, especially on floor and vault. Plichta qualified for her fourth straight state meet; she earned a medal on bars as a freshman. She is as steady as they come on bars and beam and is a big-meet performer. Her second-place finish on beam at sectionals was a turning point for the Vikings. Neal has quietly been the glue for the Vikings. Whenever Fremd needed a bit of a lift, Neal has been there to supply the punch. "I could talk all day about the seniors," said Fremd coach Elise Ference of her powerful trio. "They are always asking what they can do to up the score, and every day they want to do more and more. Three totally different people - but they mesh well." Don't overlook junior Carly DeFilippo, who qualified individually on vault, or junior Mariah Gura. Both have been huge in the Vikings' success. Junior Gab Lytle, sophomore Kailyn Bryk, and freshman Abby Moran will help fill in the gaps. Fremd has earned back-to-back third place trophies, but the Vikings want more this weekend.
Barrington: The Fillies qualified for the state meet for a second consecutive season. Barrington hit a season-best 147.10 in January and then took second at the MSL meet. The postseason has been a roller coaster. The Fillies stormed to a regional title with 146.125, but lost senior Jessica Lee to a knee injury before sectionals. She'd taken second in the all-around at regionals. Barrington blazed through the first three events at sectionals but suffered another blow when junior Molly Blanke injured her ankle on her beam dismount. The Fillies hung on to secure an at-large berth. Blanke continues to improve, but her status for the state meet is still in question. The Fillies can count on junior Abby Hasanov, who last year earned three state medals, including tying for the state title on bars. The junior has not missed a beat this season, qualifying individually in the all-around, vault, bars and floor. Hasanov hit a sharp 37.725 in winning the regional all-around title and was in the mix for the sectional all-around before being derailed by her beam series in the final rotation. "She is by far the unspoken leader on the team," said Barrington coach Jason Loeffler of his star junior. "She has handled the pressure a lot better this season and has bigger goals now." Blanke also had stepped up big this season and qualified individually on the vault. Barrington's trophy quest will now hinge on its deep attack that includes senior Jada Jones, senior Tara Schuman, sophomore Hayley Nilles, sophomore Rachel Timperman and senior Kseniya Kisleva.
Prospect: They're back. A year after qualifying for its first state appearance, the Knights qualified for their second consecutive state appearance by coming through in the clutch in the final two events at sectionals. Despite injuries and subtractions to the lineup, Prospect has refused to go away. It starts with senior Maddie Larock, who qualified individually for all four events and hitting the top sectional mark on beam (9.575). She also notched the second-best sectional mark in the all-around (38.25) and seems primed for a big state meet. "She has become stronger mentally and is at her best in the big meets," said Prospect coach Randy Smith of his ace senior. Sophomore Olivia Gonzalez, who won the MSL all-around title, recovered from a so-so sectional meet, qualifying individually on the vault. Prospect's state hopes looked shaky after a subpar beam performance in its second rotation at sectionals, but the Knights hit big on the floor (37.375) with freshman Jane Williams, junior Candice Melendez and freshman Rosio Barros supporting the dual anchors of Larock and Gonzalez. Senior Madie Boldt and junior Olivia Sullo have also helped key the Knights' surge. Prospect won the Schaumburg regional title and secured the last at-large berth to state - and in a state field that consists of a tightly packed group, the Knights are hoping to make one final surge.
Individual area qualifiersKelly Johnston (jr.), Rolling Meadows: The Mustangs junior recovered from a so-so opening floor series at sectionals to qualify individually in the all-around, vault, bars, and beam. The junior won her second consecutive beam title this season and a state medal has been a central motivation. She is one of the more talented all-around gymnasts in the MSL and is looking to make her mark at state.
Caiti Poland (jr.) and Mikayla Vogt (fr.), Schaumburg: Poland qualified on bars and Vogt on beam. Both helped drive the Saxons' attack this season. Poland has been one of the more consistent performers for the Saxons and Vogt has definitely made her mark as a freshman.
Alysa Zurlo (jr.) and Mackenzie Kamysz (fr.), Hersey: Zurlo has returned strong from an early season hip flexor injury and qualified on the beam. Kamysz helped to fill the void during Zurlo's absence and has shown plenty of promise during her freshman season capping it with state qualification on beam.
- Michael Eaken