Albert levels up as Warren wins Glenbrook North regional
Teagon Albert of Warren has reached new level in girls gymnastics.
The sophomore chalked up a sweep of all five medals on Wednesday night, helping the Blue Devils earn a regional championship with a narrow victory over host Glenbrook North 135.35-134.925. Libertyville finished third (125.9), just ahead of fourth-place Wheeling (124.4)
Warren advances to the Mundelein sectional next Tuesday, joining Carmel Catholic (145.575) and New Trier (141.725).
Glenbrook South (140.15) and now Glenbrook North (134.925) are the front-running two at-large teams for sectional advancement; the Spartans scored just ahead of another at-large hopeful, Stevenson (134.075).
The Mundelein regional is the only one remaining in the group. It will feature Deerfield, Niles North, Vernon Hills and the host Mustangs on Thursday night.
"I'm beyond happy, and it was a great meet," Warren coach Mary Kovac said. "I had no idea, and we were surprised at the end. It was a great meet and Glenbrook North was really good. It was anybody's meet."
The Blue Devils have been progressing all season and seem to be pulling together. That was particularly evident on the balance beam.
"I think we really have good team chemistry," Kovac said. "They work well together and encourage each other. I thought our best event was beam, and we probably had our best performances there."
Albert was the all-around regional champion with a (36.875). She picked up top honors on floor (9.5), bars (9.2), beam (9.1) and vault (9.075), getting plenty of support along the way.
"It's a lot of work to do it all, and it's a lot of support from my teammates," Albert said. "I couldn't do it without them."
Albert said it helps to have already gone through the same sequence of qualifying meets last year.
"It's kind of nerve-wracking, but I just try to have my quiet time before each event," Albert said. "It's nice to get the medals, but there's room for improvement."
Warren's Hannah Beyrer finished tied for fourth on the beam with Glenbrook North's Caroline Blankfield (8.525). Beyrer finished sixth in the all-around (33.3) and may qualify with an at-large berth.
The Blue Devils' Katie Graeb place second on vault (8.95), where her teammate Carly Baun was fourth (8.7).
"I was pretty happy with beam because that's my strongest event," Beyrer said. "I felt like I was pretty sturdy on it."
Wheeling freshman Jessica Stavros placed fifth in the all-around (33.375), along with fourth on bars (8.525) and fifth on floor (8.375).
"It's really tough out there," said Stavros. "You can be a freshman coming in, never having done gymnastics. And you could be competing against seniors who have done it their entire life."
Stavros recovered from a back injury suffered three weeks ago just in time to compete.
"I really wanted to come out and compete on bars," Stavros said. "That's been the only thing I've been able to train, and I worked extra hard."
Libertyville's Ima Wasemann made her way into the sectional with a fifth-place finish on vault (8.425), and Claire Neuberger qualified by finishing third on floor exercise (8.675).