Boys gymnastics: Scouting the Mid-Suburban League

After no state contenders for two seasons in boys gymnastics, the Mid-Suburban League had two team state qualifiers in Fremd and Schaumburg last year.

Both those teams look even stronger this year — but may have some company, with Hersey and Palatine not that far behind.

Palatine's Prakash Nigam, who was seventh in the state in the all-around last year as a freshman, could be a medal contender this year.

Fremd's Eric Barnd and Eric Classon also look strong, along with Schaumburg's A.J. Hardin and Hazen Rice, and Hersey's Matt and Jon Phelps.

Here's a team-by-team look at what's in store this season:

Mid-Suburban East

Buffalo GroveCoach: Zach Crandall

Lost from last season: Tyler Cho, Zach Harris, Jacob Kerman, Kyle Pollina, Matt Scislowski, Sasha Varyuk, Justin Zyck

Gymnasts: Daniel Gerovoy, Jr. (AA); Carlo Cirrincione, Jr. (FX, V); Josh Opperman, Sr. (FX, PH, V, HB); Jack Delattre, Jr. (FX, SR, V, PB, HB); Kyle Zyck, Jr. (PH); Zach Fickett, Sr. (PH, V, PB); Sean Sparkowski, Jr. (SR, V, PB, HB); Dion Dumayas, Sr. (SR); Leo Cuellar, Sr. (SR, PB, HB)

Outlook: Crandall looks to get the job done this year by sending a depth charge at his opponents. The Bison will send Gerovoy, who is the team's lone all-arounder, along with a large group of specialists into each meet with the hope of returning to the state meet after a one-year absence.

Elk GroveCoach: Bill Watts

Lost from last season: Bogdan Koval, Jay Bacca, Elijah Silva

Gymnasts: Ivan Rodriguez, Sr. (AA); Jason Ramirez, Sr. (PH); Jim Briggs, Sr. (AA); Nico Behana, Soph. (AA); Hiro Kamata, Sr. (AA); Oscar Chavez, Jr. (FX,V,PB,HB); Dan Medina, Sr. (PH); Dominick Hester, Jr.(FX,V); Jon Hernandez, Jr. (FX,SR)

Outlook: Watts has some experience returning in Rodriguez, Ramirez and Briggs. He hopes that the balance of the squad can get acclimated quickly to varsity competition and help in their team score.

HerseyCoach: Dustin Berman

Lost from last season: Dylan Vo, Eric Williams, Mathias Newman, Konrad Szczgiel, Justin Vondran, Dennis Jang, Oscar Moreno, Austin Wade

Gymnasts: Will Nicholson, Sr. (AA); Matt Phelps, Sr. (AA); Jon Phelps, Sr. (AA); Jason Urban, Jr. (AA); Sebastian Jackowski, Jr. (AA); Nate Campbell , Jr. (PH); Matt Bednar, Fr. (AA)

Outlook: Hersey could have its best team in years. The Huskies, who have not qualified for state since 2001, have great depth led by the Phleps brothers — Jon was sixth in the state in the vault, while brother Matt was 11th in the state — along with Urban and Jacksowski. “This is a strong team with a goal of making state,” Berman said. “We are improving daily and plan to peak when it counts.”

ProspectCoach: Julian Basler

Lost from last season: Mark LaRock

Gymnasts: Kevin Dukes, Sr. (AA); Dongyoung Kim, Sr. (AA); Dylan Kowatsch, Sr. (AA); Nathan Lungu, Soph. (AA); Hasibullah Nabi, Sr. (AA); Daniel Staar, Sr. (AA); Adan Vivero, Sr. (AA); Jack D'Onofrio, Soph. (AA); Matthew Donzelli, Fr. (AA)

Outlook: This is Basler's first year as head coach. The squad will miss LaRock, who had been a varsity standout the past four years. Basler has a hard-working group of seniors along with sophomore D'Onofrio and freshman Donzelli.

Rolling MeadowsCoach: Michael Costa

Lost from last season: Conor Thomas, Jorynn Meahan

Gymnasts: Anthony Deering, Sr. (AA); David Majorowski, Sr. (AA), Ben Kowolski , Fr. (AA); Ricardo Pinchon, Soph. (AA)

Outlook: The Mustangs will be rebuilding “from scatch,” according to Costa. But Costa and Rolling Meadows have high hopes for freshman all-arounder Kowolski and expect Deering and Majorowski be key contributors as well.

Mid-Suburban West

BarringtonCoach: Rob DeFano

Lost from last season: Jeffrey Ryan, David Kim, Ryan Wexlar, Colton Wiseman

Gymnasts: Camron Hardegree , Fr., (HB, PB, RH, R); Evan Wiesman, Sr. (AA); Braden Detelich Sr., (AA); Danny Schnura, Sr. (AA); Jeremiah Griffin, Sr. (SR,V)

Outlook: Absent among the top teams in recent years, the Broncos look to make a move up this season. Barrington is led by all-arounders Schnura, Wiseman and Detelich. Griffin should help fill in some scores, and watch for freshman Hardegree, who is a specialist in 4 events.

ConantCoach: Mike Opsal

Lost from last season: Michael Frale, John Raimondo, Joe Bolbot, Josh Lee, Arham Kahn

Gymnasts: Michael Yim, Sr. (AA) ; Sam Minarik, Soph (AA); Cole Aykroid Jr. (AA) ; Lawrence Torres, Sr. (PH); Sam Barajas, Sr. (FX,SR,V)

Outlook: The Cougars look to build again this season with a senior-dominated squad led by Yim and Aykroid. Look for Minarik, who is a sophomore to fill in quite nicely along with a group of specialists including Torres and Barajas.

FremdCoach: Tim Hamman

Lost from last season: Sam Yim, Jon McMillan, Vance Lehman

Gymnasts: Cole Patton, Sr. (FX, VA, PB); Dan Classon, Sr. (AA); Chase Jauch, Sr. (AA); Tom Whiteside, Sr. (PH); Ryan Roth, Jr. (AA); Eric Barnd, Jr. (AA); Nick Oyasu, Jr. (AA); Konrad Waller, Jr. (V, PB) ; Kevin Leah, Sr. (PB, V); Ethan Cho, Jr. (AA)

Outlook: The Vikings got a taste of what state competition felt like last year, finishing seventh in the state. Barnd, who was 18th in the all-around, and Patton, who finished fourth in the floor, should lead the way again this year along with all-arounders Classon, Jauch, Roth and Oyasu.

Hoffman EstatesCoach: Ryan B. Brown

Lost from last season: Brendan Gorvett, Bartosz Widelak, Mustafa Hashim

Gymnasts: Will Fernandez, Jr. (AA); Jeet Raol, Sr. (PH,PB); Dawid Brygiel, Jr. (SR, HB); Sam Gomez, Jr. (AA); Peter Rivera, Jr. (PH,PB); Malik Walker, Jr. (PH, SR); Connor Sauceda, Sr. (PH); Juan Pablo Rios, Sr. (SR); Ryan Santiago, Sr. (PB); Jack Rogers, Sr. (SR).

Outlook: It could be a rebuilding year for the young Hawks who lost their top all-arounder from last season. But Brown has high hopes for Gomez, who can be wild at times, but is highly skilled.

PalatineCoach: Scott Hagel

Lost from last year: Matt Buffo, Daniel Koshy, Carter McCall, Bobby Schulte

Gymnasts: Jack Hallier, Sr. (SR, V, PB, HB); Brett Limberg,Sr. (PH); Chris Lunsford, So. (AA); Prakash Nigam, Jr. (AA); Brian Pazdioch, Sr. (AA); Ethan Sciuckas, Sr. (PH, V, PB, HB); Matt Wang, Sr. (AA); Ricardo Garcia,So. (AA); Brian Gaytan, Soph (AA); Harrison Mathias, Jr. (FX, SR, V, PB); Joseph Zhao, Jr. (AA)

Outlook: Palatine has a nice mix of experience and youth, led by sophomore Prakash Nigam, who was seventh in the state last year in the all-around. Nigam should get some help from Hallier, and Lunsford, who has been impressive thus far. Thanks to their depth and string group of specialists, the Pirates are looking to contend in the West.

SchaumburgCoach: Erik Bostrom

Lost from last season: Jim Conley, Jon Gonzalez, Vince Salinas, Mike Szal, Garrett Wibeck, Pat Pasia, Eric Cano

Gymnasts: A.J. Hardin, Sr. (AA); Hazen Rice, Sr. (SR,V, PB, HB); Marco Abundiz, Jr. (PB); Dylan Mitchell, Jr. (FX, SR); Tony Orlando, Jr. (FX, V); Alex Hernandez, Jr. (PH, V, PB, HB);

Anthony Gershman, Sr. (SR); Kody Scott, Sr. (V); Shane Donovan, Sr. (Fx); Sam Grzeszkowiak, Jr. (FX); Chasen Chau, Jr (AA); Sulieman Dwaikat, Jr. (HB); Roshan Jamkatel, Jr. (PH)

Outlook: After an eighth-place finish at state last season, the Saxons are hungry for more. The team is still young on balance and has experienced leadership in Hardin and Rice. Bostrom has an abundance of specialists to chose from which should give Schaumburg solid depth as the season progresses.

West Suburban Gold

LeydenCoach: Jason Orna

Lost from last season: George Andersen, Jesus Bahena, Tavaris Fletcher, Julio Vera

Gymnasts: Fabian Marquez, Sr (AA): Alexis Vilchez (AA); Gabriel Bahena (AA)

Outlook: The Eagles have a duo in all-arounders Marquez and Vilchez. They get some help from newcomer Bahena and the Eagles hope to challenge this year in the West Suburban Gold.