Boys gymnastics: Glenbard West places second at state
Glenbard West did just about everything it could to win its second state title and its first in 20 years but fell just short.
In the closest finish for the team championship in IHSA boys gymnastics history, Niles West nipped the Hilltoppers, 154.75 to 154.4 during Friday's state team finals at Hinsdale Central.
"We scored our season high, so I'm obviously very proud of these guys to go out on a season high," Glenbard West coach Frank Novakowski said. "I can't ask for more than that. We just came up a little short to Niles West. That's the way it works sometimes."
Led by senior and UIC recruit Dalai Jamiyankhuu - whose all-around total of 55.35 easily surpassed the 53.65 runner-up score from Dundee-Crown senior Satchel Hudson - Niles West won its first state title in any sport since the late 1970s.
The Wolves took third last year. Their previous best finish in boys gymnastics was second in 1975 by a team led by Olympic gold-medalist Bart Conner.
"I think this was just our year and we won a lot of meets," Niles West coach Adrian Batista said. "We knew coming in that Glenbard West was the team to beat and they've got great kids and great coaches who I have the utmost respect for. We came out and had a meet unlike any other we've had this year. We had no mistakes."
No team had reached a 154 or beyond prior to Friday and both Niles West and Glenbard West surpassed it, which is a testament to how incredibly well each team performed during the season's biggest meet.
"Even as a coach you can sometimes second guess yourself about things," Novakowski said. "But I pulled them over to the side afterward and had a team meeting and told them how proud I was of them and to not hang their heads. They earned this second-place trophy and it's been a great season. They did a great job of winning second place."
The Hilltoppers closed the meet on still rings and scored a 27.1 with Frankie Pham leading the way with a 9.5, but it just wasn't enough to surpass the Wolves.
"We did our best and I'm not really sure there was much more we could've done any better," Pham said. "We're proud of getting second (place). It's a big accomplishment and something we haven't done in years."
There was a large student section that represented the Hilltoppers well, and it was one that included several up-and-coming gymnasts who will certainly look to help the team return to state next season.
"It really is just a testament to our program and our kids," Novakowski said. "It's the whole team aspect that we build on and those guys are as much a part of the trophy as the guys who competed."
The other area team in the finals, Wheaton co-op, which was also appearing at state for the eighth straight time, took eighth place with a 144.8.
Willowbrook's Adam Sousa was the top area finisher in the all-around, placing fourth with a 52.4.
Hinsdale Central's Ryan Leahy was seventh with a 51.3, Downers Grove North's Lukas Elisha was eighth with a 51.1, Glenbard West's Timmy Lee was ninth with a 50.9 and Wheaton co-op's Lucas Cooperman was 12th with a 49.95.