Scouting DuPage County boys gymnastics
Top local teams: Downers Grove North, Glenbard North, Wheaton co-op, York.
Top gymnasts: Mike Brackman (Wheaton co-op, So., all-around), Kyle Carmona (York, Sr., all-around), Tyler DeAnda (Glenbard North, Sr., all-around), Mike Dieterle (Wheaton co-op, Jr., all-around), Darren Fill (Wheaton co-op, So., all-around), Luke Gill (Hinsdale Central, Sr., all-around), Dennis Hairston (Downers Grove North, Jr., floor exercise, vault), Roger Kopp (Fenton, Jr., all-around), Tim Krueger (Wheaton co-op, Sr., all-around), Kyle Olsen (Glenbard West, Sr., all-around), Matt Rakow (Downers Grove North, So., all-around), Doug Rybar (Downers Grove North, Sr., all-around), Luke Schubert (Downers Grove North, So., all-around), Gary Soper (Lake Park, Sr., still rings), Jesus Soto (Glenbard North, So., all-around) , Caleb Strejc (York, Jr., all-around), Ryan Vandenack (Glenbard North, Sr., all-around), Luke Wychocki (Downers Grove North, Fr., all-around), Steve Wysocki (Wheaton co-op, Sr., parallel bars, high bar, floor exercise, still rings, vault).
Top meets: Vic Lesch Invitational, March 7; District 87 Invitational, March 11; Red Devil Invite at Hinsdale Central, March 20; Leyden Invitational, March 21; Lake Park Invite, March 27, Vic Agliano Invitational at Rolling Meadows, March 28; Fred Dennis Invite at Addison Trail, April 11; Dave Donaldson Invite at Wheaton North, April 18; Ken Scorza Invite at York, April 18; DuPage Valley Conference meet, April 24; West Suburban Conference Invite, May 1.
Outlook: After claiming individual state championship honors in floor exercise, vault and parallel bars last May, Wheaton co-op senior Tim Krueger will look to help his entire team qualify for the state finals this season. There's plenty of reasons to believe that Krueger and his Wheaton teammates will compete at Lincoln-Way East this May with sophomore all-arounders Darren Fill and Mike Brackman now with a full year of high school experience, along with all-arounder Mike Dieterle, a few specialists and Steve Wysocki, who competes in everything but pommel horse. "Tim isn't the last kid up on every event and he's a really good gymnast," Wheaton coach Chad Downie said. "We've got a couple guys ahead on pommel horse, a guy or two on rings and high bar so it says something about the talent here and we want to make it to the medal round at the state meet."
Wheaton last won a state championship in 2005. A year later was the last time Glenbard North appeared in the state finals when the Panthers took fourth. Look for all-arounders Ryan Vandenack, Tyler DeAnda and Jesus Soto, the latter who transferred from Lake Park, to try to make this season extra special in coach Edsel Clark's swan song.
"I don't know if I have a horseshoe on me all the time, but I've been very fortunate to have another group of gymnasts with a good amount of talent and hard work ethic too," Clark said. "They have high expectations for themselves and know it's a long season but they believe they're a team to be reckoned with."
Tyler Arl, sophomore Ryan Kennedy and Vandenack's younger brother Jared will also play key roles for the Panthers.
Defending state champion York should field another state-caliber team led by Kyle Carmona and Caleb Strejc.
"It's quite an opportunity to step into and a bit overwhelming to put it mildly to take over for Rich Larsen (retired)," first-year coach Larry Ohannes, the IHSA all-around champion in 1991, said. "We're just doing it one day, one workout at a time and not looking too far ahead or looking behind at last year."
Tim Drahoukoupil, Nick Criel and Kyle Wilson will also be imperative to the Dukes' success this spring. Doug Rybar, the top returning all-arounder (fifth place in 2008), leads an exceptionally talented Downers Grove North squad.
"Our goal is to get back there (to state) again," Downers Grove North coach Al Bekkedal said. "We lost a couple of seniors but pretty much have the entire team back along with the addition of Luke Wychocki, and (Rybar's) looking better than he did at this point last year and I know he's set his goals high."
Glenbard West lost 11 seniors to graduation and had the retirement of coach Steve Kafka. The Hilltoppers have competed in the state finals in 11 of the past 13 years but this year have a lot of rebuilding to do.
"We only have three guys that are returning with varsity experience," first-year coach Frank Novakowski said. "We're definitely going to be one of those teams that you expect to see a lot of improvement through the course of the season."
Naperville Central knew it couldn't replace Keith Lage (third place in all-around in 2008), but with 48 kids turning out this season, coach Glen Reimers is just trying to find space and time for them to get their work in. "This is the biggest turnout I've ever had," Reimers said. Returnee Tom Sheehy is expected to be one of the top gymnasts for the Redhawks.
Addison Trail knows it won't be easy to replace graduates Nick Ostapa and Calvin Cheney, but their absence will open some opportunities for others.
Lastly, look for Roger Kopp to represent Fenton at state like he did last year. The junior is expected to compete in all-around, but coach Paula Parat expects his biggest focus to be on floor exercise and vault.