Glenbard West forms a first-place finish

Fremd is looking to help erase a couple of bad memories.

The Vikings, who have not qualified for the boys state gymnastics finals since 2007, took a big step toward that Saturday at the Vic Avigliano Mustang Invitational Saturday in Rolling Meadows.

Glenbard West won the event with a score of 48.55. The Hilltoppers were led by Adam Grimm, who won the parallel bars with a score of 8.60.

"It is all about form," Grimm said. "In practice I really get worked up about the routine and sometimes I lose form. But I have relaxed and that helps."

Glenbard West coach Frank Novakowski said that his team has been working hard to get to state.

"We are very focussed," Novakowski said. "We practiced this morning. This is a team that is very young, but still has a lot of talent. They want to be at the top at the end of the year."

Fremd had a pair of first-place finishers in Eric Barnd, who won the vault, and Dan Classon, who won the pommel horse. They helped the Vikings score a 47.05 and a second-place finish.

"We started off the season strong," Fremd coach Tim Hamman said, "but we kind of leveled off and the other teams caught up to us.

"But spring break was last week, and we used the time to put some new skills in. And they paid off tonight."

Classon really cashed in on the extra practice time. He added a new dismount and hit his routine perfectly to win the event with an 8.20.

"That's the first time I have ever hit a full set with all my skills in it," Classon said. "I added a walk-around at the end and that extra dismount really helped."

Also coming up big for Fremd was Barnd. The sophomore landed his vault without a step and scored an impressive 9.20.

"My vault went really well," Barnd said. "I had trouble in the warmups. But when it came down to it in the competition, I was able to focus and stick my landing."

Fremd, along with all the other MSL teams, is looking to end a one-year drought for the conference at the state meet. And the Vikings, along with Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Palatine are improving each week.

"It was a tough year for our teams last year," Hamman said.

Hoffman Estates' Anthony Halbisch said a piece of advice from Hoffman Estates coach Ryan Brown was the key to his 9.00 first-place score on the floor.

"Brown told me to keep my form and stay clean," Halbisch said. "So I kind of had that running through my head all the time."

Brown said that Halbisch's ability to compete, helped the Hawks to a fourth-place finish with a score of 44.30 in a format where only one gymnast from each team competes in an event.

"He is a great all-arounder," Brown said. "We decided to use him on the floor today because that is his favorite event and we had guys that could go strong for us in the other events."

Schaumburg, which finished fifth, had a strong performance from Jon Gonzalez, who won the rings with an 8.70. Gonzalez, who just missed the state individual finals a a year ago, said that he is working to make it this season.

"It was a little rough for me out there tonight," said Gonzalez, a senior. "My shoulder was bother me just like every ring man. But I fought through it and had a good routine. I am looking to keep improving so I can get to the finals."

Schaumburg coach Erik Bostrom said that he likes the way Gonzalez leads his young team.

"He is a great worker and an excellent leader," Bostrom said. "We are hoping he can produce this year. He is fighting through some shoulder problems, but we are confident he can get past them."

Wheaton Warrenville co-op, which finished third with a score of 46.70, got a winning performance from Lucas Coopman, who won the high bar with a 7.70.

"It went pretty well for me," Coopman said. "I am trying to add some difficulties to my routine right now. I have a base routine that is going well and I have hit it in my competition every time."