Different feel for MSL powers

No Allison Buckley, no Holly Reichard.

All there was when Fremd's gymnastics team traveled to Conant to begin the Mid-Suburban West season was two competitive teams, both of which want to win the division but will have to do so without two of the best gymnasts in state history.

Both teams, along with another challenger, Palatine, lost key gymnasts from the teams that captured the top three trophies at state last year. But they haven't lost their competitiveness.

Although they were outscored 36.16-35.95 on floor, the Fremd Vikings defeated Conant 143.45-138.0 to take the early lead among the three top contenders in the division. Fremd will meet Palatine in two weeks.

"There is," said Fremd's Mary Burke when asked if there was a different feel to Wednesday night's meet. "It's so weird. I used to compete against (Buckley) the last three years."

"For me I have a different view because I work out at Gymhkhana and half of their girls work out there," said Fremd's Eliza Grosshauser. "(Conant's) Cara Cosentino, I've been working out with her since we were level five.

"Fremd, Palatine and Conant all lost three people, so it's kind of different. We have a good chance this year as a team."

Everything went well for the Vikings with one exception.

"I thought we vaulted well and did well on beam," said Fremd coach Jim Guest, whose team had just one fall on beam, which Grosshauser led off with a no-fall performance. "Bars, we need to work on a few things."

Fremd won the meet on vault, where it outscored the Cougars 38.15-36.35; beam, where it had a 35.7-33.3 edge; and floor.

"Our floor routines tonight were good," said Conant coach Laurel Rohrback, whose team's previous score was 133.9. "We've been practicing real well on floor. The girls realize they have to up their skills.

"We knew it would be competitive with them, but we were going to give them a run for their money. They went into this knowing that."