Knights hit season high
At first, the idea for most girls gymnastics teams was to perfect their routines and put in some new tricks.
Now, with the two-week Christmas break coming up, the goal seems to be raising the team score.
Both Prospect and Elk Grove did just that at Wednesday's Mid-Suburban League tri-meet at Prospect. The third team, the Schaumburg Saxons, held their own.
Prospect finished with 133.55 points, bettering its previous high of 131.75.
Elk Grove, with several girls watering down their routines, nearly continued its pattern of raising its scored in every meet. The Grenadiers scored 119 in their first meet, 130 in their next meet, 132.475 after that, and 132.345 at the Wheeling Invitational, which the Grens won.
On Wednesday Elk Grove nearly hit its season high, scoring 131.50, with routines that were not at full strength.
"They performed well," said Elk Grove coach Heather DeCook. "It wasn't their best meet, but they performed well. Laney's (Bernatz) routine on bars and floor were watered down. She's normally one of our best on bars, but we wanted to try other people.
"Kim Gulik watered down her floor a little bit."
The reason?
"Actually the equipment was part of it," DeCook said. "Laney and Kim have some harder tricks on floor but we didn't want them getting hurt. Our floor is bouncier."
Prospect had no problem with floor.
"We we're kind of slow at the start," said Knights coach Kim Harrier. "We're kind of back to hurting. Monica Donner did one vault and got hurt on the second so she was out of the rest of the meet. Other girls filled in and did a terrific job."
Freshman gymnast Brooke Shimon filled in answering questions for coach Jami Stilling.
"I think we can do better because Caitlin Barret (fractured back) should be coming back soon," said Shimon, who led her team on bars (8.5), beam (8.6), floor (8.9) and the all-around (34.0).
"I did pretty well on floor," Shimon said. "I don't have all my skills yet because I have a bad elbow. I did a shoot over release and hyper-extended it. By the time I get all the skills in, I should be back to normal."
Girls basketball
Hoffman 58, Larkin 26: Hoffman Estates held visiting Larkin to just 9 first-half points as it decisively took the nonconference game.
Megan Fischer sunk three 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 20 points for the Hawks (7-3). Megan Bernardoni pitched in 10 more.
St. Viator 56, St. Joseph 52: Jenny Muench and sophomore Susan Hohenadel scored 15 points apiece to lead St. Viator to an East Suburban Catholic win.
Colleen Nolan added 12 for the Lions, which fought back from negative territory with a 24-point fourth quarter.
Carmel 53, Prospect 40: Carmel's girls basketball team knocked off a quality nonconference opponent to snap a two-game losing streak Wednesday night.
Tiffany Hendrickson led three players in double figures with 19 points, as the Corsairs defeated visiting Prospect 53-40 in Mundelein.
Carmel (6-4) also received 14 points from Erin Glogovsky and 10 from Aubrey Simmons.
Prospect (8-3) was led in scoring by Megan Murray with 14 points.
Carmel led only 35-32 after three quarters, before outscoring Prospect 18-8 in the fourth.