Sandburg stands out, wins Oldham title
Sandburg looked very impressive in storming to the 22nd annual Sandy Oldham title in Palatine.
Senior Kristyn Mishek (37.85) led the way taking first in the all-around as Sandburg cruised to the title with 145.275 points in the eight-team field, snapping host Palatine's 6-year winning streak.
Libertyville took second with 136.225 points, followed by Prospect (135.325), Palatine (134.875), and Naperville North (132.675).
Mishek took first on the vault (9.725), beam (9.25), and floor (9.75) for Sandburg to cap an impressive performance.
Libertyville finished seventh at last year's invite, but the Wildcats turned it around on Saturday.
Senior Amanda Winn battled a left ankle injury in taking fourth on the vault (9.40) and sixth on the beam (8.8).
The ankle injury bothered the senior on her take off for the vault but she gutted it out.
"It did, but the vault is quick," said Winn who took seventh in the all-around (34.60). "From this meet last year we have improved so much."
Part of that improvement for Libertyville came from Leah Herchenbach, who took fourth on parallel bars (9.10) and ninth in the all-around (34.25). Lindsay Schweitzer aided the Wildcats by finishing third on the beam (8.925).
"It was a very good day," said Libertyville coach Curt Austin of the Wildcats' performance. "They're working hard and they want to be a team to be reckoned with at state. They're improving every week."
Prospect is another team a state berth. Junior Katie Colmone took first on the bars, scoring a career-best 9.525 to lead the Knights.
Colmone nailed a double-back dismount to cap her performance on the bars. It was the same dismount on which she suffered a concussion two weeks ago.
"Today was the first day back competing with it since I fell," said Colmone who finished sixth in the all-around (34.95) and added a seventh-place finish on the vault (9.2). "My heart was beating so fast when I landed, I just took one-step and said 'OK, I can do this again.'"
Senior Emily Rossdeutcher finished fifth in the all-around (35.15) for Prospect. She tied for sixth on floor (8.675), took seventh on the bars (8.825) and added an eighth-place finish on balance beam (8.675).
Sophomore Christina Pekar helped out the Knights by taking eighth on floor exercise at 8.625.
The Knights' fast start has first-year coach Julian Basler optimistic for the second half of the season.
"They have already reached what we wanted to reach before break," said Basler of his team's 139.05 this season. "We're going to try and get another 4 or 5 points out of them - that would be top-eight at state. That was our goal coming in."
It is a rebuilding year for Palatine, but that doesn't mean the Pirates will be down too long.
Senior Sam Saltess tied for second in the all-around (36.075) to lead the Pirates' charge. Saltess took second on floor (9.275), fifth on beam (8.85) and eighth on both the bars (8.8) and vault (9.15).
"It's definitely a rebuilding year," said Saltess, who was part of a sixth-place team finish at state last season. "I've been working hard to get all the rust off. I'm getting there, I just have to focus now and do it."
Freshman Marissa Mallon and sophomore Nicole Barba offered a glimpse of the Pirates' future by tying for ninth on the floor (8.60).
"We just have to keep adding slowly," said Palatine coach Terry Theobald of the young Pirates' growth. "We're a 140-point team down the road. Once we get the skills back we'll be there."
Naperville North junior Carolyn Filarski is coming back from ankle surgery in August. Filarski has come on strong on the parallel bars.
On Thursday she scored a 9.65 on the bars, and the junior followed it up taking second on the bars with a 9.30 on Saturday.
"I'm still recovering," said Filarski, "so I can't do my floor routine or beam routine to my fullest. Bars I've been working hard and I'm planning on adding more skills for the end of the season."
Megan McLerran aided the Huskies by taking 10th in the all-around (33.775). McLerran added a sixth-place finish on the floor (8.675).
Emily Potts led South Elgin co-op by taking fifth on vault (9.30) and sixth on bars (8.85).