Scouting the Mid-Suburban League girls gymnastics meet
Girls gymnastics / Scouting the Mid-Suburban League meet
When: 6 p.m. Friday at Fremd
What to watch: Host Fremd and Barrington are the two teams to watch at the Mid-Suburban League girls gymnastic meet. Fremd has won four consecutive MSL titles and 22 titles overall, while Barrington will be aiming for its first conference title since 2000.
Team talk: Fremd seemed to be searching for an identity to start the season, but the Vikings have put the pieces together in a strong January run, capping the regular season by hitting a high score of 147.025 on Jan. 16. Senior Lisa Radochonski and senior Carly DeFilippo have given the Vikings a nice 1-2 punch in the all-around, with senior Gab Lytle providing a big lift on vault. Sophomore Abby Moran has provided a spark on the beam and floor. Senior Grace Korn, senior Maggie Betti and sophomore Melanie Ng have added provided plenty of depth for a Vikings attack that won the MSL West Division title and is looking to make a deep run in the post season.
For Barrington, it has been a season of extremes. The Fillies started the year by hitting their best score (145.95) in its opening dual meet. They then hit a season low (131.30) in early January without senior star Abby Hasanov, who was held after tweaking her back in practice. Hasanov returned for Barrington's final triangular meet and the team score once again soared to a 145.65. Hasanov, who won a state title on the bars as a sophomore and added another state title on floor as a junior, will power the Fillies' attack. Senior Molly Blanke has also turned in a big season. Junior Rachel Timperman, junior Hayley Nilles, senior Claire Marousek and senior Morgan Eisenhauer offer plenty of experience. "We're at full strength and working hard, taking it one step at a time," said Barrington coach Jason Loeffler.
Palatine and Hersey both have taken a big step forward this season. Senior Alysa Zurlo and sophomore Mackenzie Kamysz have helped lead Hersey to an MSL East Division title, while junior Kara Ure has had a breakout season in elevating Palatine's effort. Conant has also been a team on the rise, with junior Melynda Meyrick pacing the Cougars.
Individual effort: Individually there will be plenty of star power on display, starting with Hasanov. The Barrington senior is one of the top gymnasts in Illinois and has the medals to prove it. Hasanov has earned four state medals, including state title on the bars and floor. She has been in a zone and has rebounded well from back issues that sidelined her for two meets in January. Rolling Meadows' Kelly Johnston will also be one to watch. The senior is the defending beam state champion and has also won two consecutive MSL beam titles. She was slowed by an injury in early January but is now 100 percent healthy and ready to roll on Friday. Radochonski and Lytle have powered Fremd; Radochonski has sparkled on bars, while Lytle is a big threat on vault. Meyrick has had quite a debut season for Conant. The junior is a strong all-arounder and has put together a solid season. Palatine junior Kara Ure has done likewise and seems ready to make a statement on Friday. Hersey has pair of aces in Zurlo and Kamysz. Zurlo's strength is on the floor, while Kamysz is strong on the beam. Others to watch include Buffalo Grove senior Diandra Duenser, Elk Grove junior Angel Skuse, Prospect senior Megan Donner, Rolling Meadows junior Victoria Zervos, Schaumburg sophomore Mikayla Vogt and Schaumburg senior Alyssa Kiszka.
- Michael Eaken