Glenbard West's season best is best
Senior Amber Broucek's exciting freshman year of gymnastics included her Glenbard West team qualifying for the eight-team state meet.
The Hilltoppers proved again Friday they are in contention for a return trip. Their season-high 146.025 in Lombard won the District 87 Invitational for the second straight year.
"Freshman year we made (state) and then if we make it this year, it's like you're ending senior year in your gymnastics career with a big bang," Broucek said. "We were in good moods coming into the meet. I think that helped us have the energy to do our best and cheer everyone on."
Glenbard North was second with 137.455, followed by host Glenbard East with 132.325 and Glenbard South with 125.925. The Panthers and Raiders also posted season highs despite using just four all-arounders.
This year Glenbard West's Maddie Diab is making the huge impact as a freshman. She won all-around with a personal-best 38.025, vault with a 9.7, beam at 9.475 and floor at 9.45. Glenbard North senior Allison Wahrman won uneven bars with a season-high 9.6 and was second in all-around with a 36.80.
Broucek and Glenbard West senior Sarah DeStefano were third and fourth in all-around. They and junior Alison Oakes added top-three event finishes and senior Amanda Rosch and freshman Katherine Hoban had top-five finishes.
Regional pairings were posted Friday. Based on each team's three highest scores up to Tuesday, Glenbard West is the No. 3 seed for its Glenbard West sectional but No. 6 in the state.
On Friday the Hilltoppers hit all 20 routines.
"It wasn't a perfect meet. But there were lots of small adjustments that they made within the routines," Glenbard West coach Carlos Fuentes said. "Score aside, I'm more impressed with how they're competing, just showing the veterans that they are and knowing how to fix mistakes when they're coming up within in the routine."
Diab's previous all-around best was 37.80. She had a season high on beam and equaled her best on floor, smiling wide once she nailed a new double full twist on her first pass.
"Yeah, I was really happy that I made it," Diab said. "That (38.025) felt really good to finally get that because that was my seasonal goal, to score a 38.00."
Wahrman's season-high score on uneven bars earned her eighth District 87 Invite individual title over three high school seasons. This year, Wahrman and Broucek, both past individual state finalists, only have competed all-around four and three times so far, respectively, to assure their health for the state series.
If not for a rare fall on beam, Wahrman would have had a season-high all-around total.
"I haven't fallen (this season) so it was kind of a disappointment," Wahrman said. "I was really happy with that (9.6 on bars). I think it'll put me in good shape at the state finals."
The Panthers' Delaney Guy was fifth in all-around with two top-five event finishes. Senior Amanda Arendt remains out with a sprained her left ankle but could return on bars for the DuPage Valley Conference meet Jan. 28.
"With four up, four count, how can I not be happy?" Glenbard North coach Kristin Nordquist asked rhetorically. "This was kind of a goal that we set at the beginning of the year, to get a 137. We cracked it, and now we're going to go for 138."
Glenbard East junior Veronika Srey was third on vault with a 9.175 for a solid pike Yurchenko.
"I've done one (this season) that was better," Srey said. "I'm feeling good. Our team is doing well and we're getting better as we go."
Glenbard South's Michelle Glover was sixth on floor with an 8.775. During warmups, senior captain Kate Longo apparently broke her arm on floor and was taken to the hospital.
"It was definitely hard to see her get hurt, but we're a pretty strong team," freshman Katie Kibbey said. "We know Katie would want us to do well so we went out and tried our best."