Fremd powers to 24th straight regional title
The pieces are falling into place for the Fremd girls gymnastics team, and the Vikings completed the puzzle of the Palatine regional on Monday night.
Senior Lisa Radochonski (36.75) and senior Carly DeFilippo (36.725) went 1-2 in the all-around powering the Vikings to the team title with 146.95.
Palatine also impressed, taking second place with 138.675 points, followed by Schaumburg (135.55) and Hoffman Estates (120.0).
The Vikings put on quite a display by sweeping the top three spots in each event while cruising to their 24th consecutive regional title. They advance to the Schaumburg sectional on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.
Fremd started the season with a 138.80 but made a complete turnaround on Jan. 16 by hitting a season-high 147.025.
The Vikings won their 23rd Mid-Suburban League title on Friday with a 146.20 and followed it up on Monday with their second highest score of the season.
Needless to say, the arrow is pointing up for the Vikings.
"It's definitely all coming together," said Radochonski who took third on vault (9.275), tied for fifth on bars (8.925), stuck a clean routine to take first on beam (9.25) and finished her night by taking third on floor (9.3). "We're getting more confident in ourselves and we're competing with so much passion right now."
DeFilippo has had quite a turnaround herself after dealing with illness to start the year.
The Vikings senior continued to impress on Monday by taking second on vault (9.35), third on bars (9.225) and capping her night with a first-place finish on floor (9.525).
"Sure, we had a rough patch in the beginning," said DeFilippo of the Vikings' early season struggles. "But all we needed was a boost of confidence and I couldn't ask for a better way to start the state series."
Senior Gab Lytle gave the Vikings an early boost by hitting her Yurchenko Pike to take first on vault (9.375), and sophomore Melanie Ng continued to keep the Vikings buzzing with her double-back dismount to take first on bars (9.325).
Sophomore Abby Moran added to the Vikings' effort by taking second on the beam (9.225) and floor (9.425).
Senior Grace Korn supplied a second-place finish on bars (9.25) and senior Maggie Betti added a third-place finish on beam (9.0) and fourth on bars (8.95).
"We're attacking with more confidence and as long as we keep progressing that's our goal," DeFilippo added.
Kara Ure set the tone for a young Palatine squad that also is on the rise. The Pirates junior took third in the all-around (36.025), fourth on vault (9.175), fifth on floor (9.175) and tied for fifth on bars (8.925).
Pirates sophomore Abby Amato added a fifth-place finish in the all-around (34.175) while sophomore Christina DiGioia and freshman Kristin Ure bolstered the rising Pirates.
"It was really great to score what we did," said Kara Ure. "We had our goal and we definitely accomplished it."
Sophomore Mikayla Vogt gave Schaumburg a jolt by taking fourth on the floor (9.225). She added a fifth-place finish on beam (8.825) and tied for fifth on vault (9.1), while Saxons junior Alison Janega contributed a fourth-place finish on beam (8.875).
"I feel like things are falling into place at the right time," Vogt said of her big night. "As a team we are working hard and pushing each other."