Glenbard West runs streak to seven
The No. 7 may be considered lucky, but Glenbard West's Hilltoppers aren't lucky, they're just extremely talented year after year.
The Hilltoppers won the annual District 87 meet on Thursday for the seventh straight year, finishing well ahead of runner-up Glenbard East, 148.1 to 132.65.
"I think it's a testament to how hard the kids in our gym work," Hilltoppers coach Frank Novakowski said. "That's really all I can attribute to it. We push them and they respond and they step up. They understand the importance of tradition and that carries through with all of the goals that they set for themselves for the season."
High bar was the lone event that the Hilltoppers didn't have at least the top two scorers, and they still had three of the top four. They had the top four scores on floor as well as the top three on pommel horse, still rings and vault.
"One of the things we talk to these guys about, and I know it sounds silly, but it's that we are a team," Novakowski said. "Everyone knows that. It's like a wall and each brick is necessary for the wall to function so our team is the wall because every guy has to contribute and you're seeing that in our scores."
There were nine different Glenbard West gymnasts who finished among the top three in at least one of the six events, including Matthew Ideler, who won high bar with an 8.0.
"I really liked my high bar score and I think it's the best one I've had in all three years here," he said. "I had a good release and double back so I was very pleased."
Teammate Timmy Le edged Ideler, 49.3 to 48.2 in the all-around, while also winning floor, still rings and vault. Paul Bonokollie also won for the Hilltoppers, dominating on pommel horse with an 8.9.
Other top finishers for the Hilltoppers included Aiden Rudolph, Kevin Pellikunnel, Trystan Stone, Adam Grimm, Frankie Pham and Viktor Kovalishin, who took second on floor and vault.
"I was happy with my performance on floor and vault, it was probably the best performance I've had this year," Kovalishin said. "We're working a lot on form and landing tricks and just trying to stick every skill. We're executing well and we have our coaching staff to thank for that."
Matt Le took third in the all-around with a 46.0 to pace the Rams. Marc Le added a 41.4.
"They had one meet under their belt from earlier this week and I think that helped them to relax," Rams coach Wayne Hill said. "All these kids competed last year but now they're just coming back from last year so it's taken some time."
Glenbard South, which wasn't at full strength, took third place with a 119.95.
"We had one guy out injured and another in stitches who couldn't compete," Raiders coach Lee Woods. "I'd still like to catch up to East. Neil Livingston had a nice meet, though, and Stephen Bean had a good vault, so we'll see where we're at once everyone is back healthy."
Livingston had a 42.15 in the all-around while Bean's vault netted an 8.2 and situated him in seventh place. The team's lone all-arounder, Treyvon Keys, scored a 36.2.
The Panthers, who were the last team other Glenbard West to with the District 87, doing so in 2009, the same year they won the state title, finished in fourth with a 106.25.
Luke Meister led the way, taking fourth on pommel horse with a 7.2, fifth on high bar with a 6.6 and fourth in the all-around with a 42.9.