Stevenson has sights set on state crown

The Stevenson girls gymnastics team finished just a step shy of reaching the pinnacle last winter.

After taking runner-up honors in the IHSA state meet, the Patriots are chalking up seeking a state championship for the first time since engineering a four-peat title run from 2001-04.

"Now, we're more evenly spread out with our talent," said Patriots coach Judy Harwood. "We don't really have a Mary Burke on the team, and we're not about one good gymnast. We're just all even and that's the best thing about the team.

"Our goal is No. 1 and not the score. It's such a long season and it's hard to make a prediction."

The Patriots return the impressive trio of Shana Manning, Chelsea Seplowin and Stephanie Wojton for their senior seasons.

"The only difference from year to year is that our skills are getting better," said Seplowin, who recently made a verbal commitment attend Illinois State. "We're really close in friendship and we do a lot of things together. We're all friends and it helps with our scores. We just trust each other. We want to count on things for each other. That's why we go out there and hit the way we do."

When freshmen, this trio helped the Patriots take eighth at state. As sophomores, they were on the sixth-place finisher, and Stevenson was second when they were juniors.

"We've always been the underdogs, like sophomore year," Seplowin said. "The moment we made it to state we were on the phone crying about it. We did enter in ninth place and ended up in sixth. It showed it was better than it could be."

How does the Patriots' trio compare with Lindsay Borkan, Kate Kuchel, Michelle McGrady during the run of four state championships earlier in this decade?

"You can never compare them in my mind," Harwood said. "Those were incredible teams. It was like a dream team. This is like a hardworking team (this year). After four straight years, winning isn't important. It's a relationship and a journey. The journey is pleasant and exciting, it's just something to coach for. Learning is progress and its something to enjoy."

A talented quartet of sophomores Carlie Dopkin and Caitlin Pagano and freshmen Therese Wojton and Alison Castriano are also expected to make major contributions.

Whatever happens throughout the season, the seniors will continue to work together to provide leadership.

"It's always about competing against other teams," Harwood said. "They never care about the lineup, whether it's first or last. They're always very unselfish. It's more to say 'good job.' On our team, it's a good component. It's a team effort in or outside the gym. These girls work out all year-round."