Finishing flair from Fremd

Fremd found the finishing touch at its own girls gymnastics regional Tuesday.

The Vikings led after three events last Wednesday in the Mid-Suburban League meet, but weren't able to hold off eventual champion Conant.

On Tuesday, host Fremd once again was locked in a heated dual with Hersey after three events, leading by a narrow .25 points.

But this time the Vikings were able to cement the victory with a solid floor routine in securing their 24th straight regional title with 142.425 points in Palatine.

Hersey took second with 140.875 points, followed by Schaumburg (125.20) and Elk Grove (122.60).

Fremd joins Prairie Ridge Co-op as an automatic qualifier to the sectional meet the Vikes will host at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

"It's big," said Fremd coach Elise Ference-Saisi of the Vikings' regional triumph. "Every year is different, but the girls came through. They faced a bit of adversity early in the meet, but they pulled it together."

And they certainly pulled it together on the floor exercise, where junior Abby Moran (9.325), freshman Katie Vessell (9.225) and junior Melanie Ng (9.05) went 2-3-4 to cement the victory.

"It feels so much better," said Melanie Ng of Fremd's big ending. "Conference definitely didn't end the way we wanted, but we went back to the gym and worked harder."

After a slow start on vault, the Vikings excelled on the bars as Melanie Ng (9.25) and her twin sister Courtney Ng (9.1) took second and third. Freshman Gabi Schelfhout also came up big with a fifth-place finish (8.8).

Fremd kept rolling on beam with Melanie Ng (9.125), sophomore Gianna Christodoulopoulos (8.925), and Courtney Ng (8.875) going 2-4-5 and setting the stage for the Vikings' big finish.

"Beam and floor have been our strong events," said Courtney Ng. "We definitely showed that today. I think we are exactly where we want to be heading into the sectional."

Christodoulopoulos finished fourth for the Vikings in the all-around (33.825).

Hersey was nipping at the Vikings' heels all meet. The Huskies were led by junior Mackenzie Kamysz (36.525) and senior Maggie Barton (36.275), who went 1-2 in the all-around.

Kamysz added to her big night by taking first on the bars (9.325) and beam (9.325); she also took third on the vault (9.10).

"Our team connects so well," said Kamysz, whose Huskies are hopeful of earning an at-large team berth to the sectional. "We've been pretty consistent all season and we know what we have to do."

Barton did her part by winning vault (9.275), tying for second on beam (9.125), taking fourth on bars (8.825) and tying for fourth on floor (9.05).

"We always push each other," said Barton. "We knew we had to be on tonight, and getting our score is a big deal."

Senior Ali Heidrich (34.65) and senior Tori Schmidt (33.75) also came through for the Huskies in taking third and fifth place in the all-around.

Schaumburg junior Mikayla Vogt didn't have her strongest beam routine, but she definitely made up for it by winning floor (9.45) and taking second on vault (9.15).

"After beam I wanted to get back out there and show what I was capable of on the floor," said Vogt of her floor title. "It's definitely big after being injured and missing state last year. I'm feeling really confident this year."

Jacobs junior Molly Meehan, competing as an individual, took fifth on the vault (8.95).