S. Elgin's Potts ready for state finals

It was out with the old and in with the new for South Elgin junior gymnast Emily Potts.

Potts, a member of the Bartlett-South Elgin-Streamwood co-op team, made major changes to her uneven bars routine prior to the recent sectional meet.

And she came out smelling roses. Potts will compete today in the IHSA girls state gymnastics finals at Palatine High School in the bars and in the all-around competition.

Potts and St. Edward freshman Jordyn Madden are the lone area state qualifiers this year.

"Right before sectionals I completely changed my routine," said Potts. "I added three news skills. It was a big accomplishment to compete when everything was so new. It was an even bigger accomplishment to qualify with the new routine."

Potts, who had the 16th-highest sectional bars routine score in the state (9.275), added in a new direction change on the hi-bar and a new bar change on her release.

"It's not really difficult, it's just new," said Potts. "I didn't start off very consistent with it. I'm still working on the consistency. But I guess any new routine you can't expect it to be too consistent. All I wanted to do with it was get a high start value and it turned out even better than I had hoped for."

Potts says her emotions are running in a number of different directions.

"I'm very excited to be the first person representing the school at state," said Potts. "I'm also nervous. I want to do as well as I can. I really hope I can make it to the finals. If not that, I just want to improve my scores overall."

Potts, a Level 9 gymnast who trains with Gymkhana out of Hanover Park in the off-season, didn't consider bars to be her best routine at the beginning of the year.

"I guess it is now," laughed Potts, who sports a 4.5 grade-point average at South Elgin.

Madden will compete at state on the vault and in the all-around competition. A St. Charles resident, Madden had the 19th-highest sectional score in the state on vault (9.525).

"I've always been really good on vault," said Madden. "It's always been my strong event. It's pretty easy for me."

Madden is considering breaking out the heavy artillery today.

"At state I might do a harder vault and try and get a higher score," said Madden, also a Level 9 gymnast. "Right now I have a Tsuk pike and I might make it a Tsuk layout to get the highest starting value. A pike is a 9.8 and a layout is a 10 to start. My first vault, I'll probably do a Tsuk pike and if I get a really good one, then I'll try the Tsuk layout for the second one."

Madden also has revised plans for her floor routine.

"I'm adding harder skill at the end of the routine," said Madden. "I'm doing a front handspring and a front full. I usually do a round-off with a full and a half. I want to get a higher score."

Madden can't wait to get on the competition floor at state.

"I'm pretty nervous, but I'm also very excited," said Madden. "This is my first time. I get to see how state really is. I've heard there are a lot of really good girls."

Madden knows she will have to be on the top of her game in terms of the all-around competition.

"I'm excited for the all-around. I fell on bars at sectionals and that would have made my all-around score better," said Madden, who trains at the Bartlett Gymnastics Center in the off-season and has been involved in gymnastics for 12 years. "I will have to nail all four events to get to the finals."

The District 155 co-op team qualified three individuals for the state meet. Sophomore Jenny Covers had the top sectional vault score in the state (9.850). She'll also compete on bars and floor and in the all-around.

Senior Erin Guthrie will go in the vault and beam, while sophomore Molly Sandquist will compete on floor. Covers and Guthrie attend Prairie Ridge, while Sandquist is a Cary-Grove student.