Stevenson shows great independents
After placing second last spring, Stevenson rose to the top of the Independent Conference boys gymnastics standings Wednesday night at Lake Park.
While they did not hit a season-high score, the Patriots looked very solid in soaring to the conference title with 152.1 points as they toppled runner-up rival squad Libertyville with 135.7 points.
The host Lancers were consistent with a third-place total of 131.65 points followed by Mundelein (123.0) in fourth, and Glenbard South (95.5) in fifth. Fenton did not field a full varsity squad for the meet.
Junior Lukasz Adamczyk continued to be a real difference-maker for Stevenson as he rolled to the all-around title with a 9.12 average. Sophomore teammate Mike Wilner was the runner-up with an 8.10 average while Libertyville's Craig Breckenridge (7.93 average) placed third overall.
Stevenson senior Bryan Pusateri was still limited to two events because of an ankle injury, but he was able to do his normal dismounts on both still rings and high bar. The Patriots' are hoping Pusateri can compete in at least four events next week at sectionals.
"We're going to plan on him (Pusateri) doing more at sectionals, and his dismounts were pretty much exactly where we left off last year and that is where we need to be right now," said Stevenson coach Mike Farina. "Lukasz looked really good tonight, and that 9.8 on pommel horse is right where he should be."
Adamczyk is looking like a serious state-title contender on pommel horse as his first-place 9.8 was well above Lake Park's Frank LaCoste (8.7) in second place, and Breckenridge (8.6) in third.
Adamczyk also posted winning scores of 9.4 on parallel bars and 8.9 on high bar.
Libertyville's Ashton Coulson edged Adamczyk 9.3 to 9.1 for top honors on vault. Stevenson sophomore Scott Siegel nipped Adamczyk and Lake Park's Tommy Gage 9.3 to 9.2 for first place on floor exercise.
"It was not one of my best meets, but pommel horse was a point higher than I've been scoring all year," Breckenridge said. "I just have to stay focused through my routines and I should have a pretty good shot at state at least in a few events."
The Lancers also had a great individual performance Wednesday night as senior Gary Soper won the still rings competition with a school record 9.9. Wilner placed second with a 9.2 followed by Lake Park's Jessie Mai (9.1) in third. Soper placed second in the state last year on still rings.
"We took first, third, and fifth on still rings so we have the best still rings team in the state," said Lake Park coach Keith Matune. "Gary's goal is to win the state title on still rings and he's on track right now. We had some good individual routines on pommel horse and floor exercise tonight too."
Mundelein's Scott Marthinsen (fourth overall) placed second on parallel bars (8.1), third on vault (9.0), and fourth on floor (9.1).
"Scott is improving every day and Mike Agosto really stepped up for us after missing over a month," said Mundelein coach Jesse Piland. "Mike (Agosto) hopes to return to state on vault again and add floor exercise."
Libertyville has high hopes for next week's Palatine sectional.
"We tried a lot of new things tonight and we're all gearing up for the big finish at the end of the season," said Libertyville coach Curt Austin. "If we can pull it together as a team we will try to catapult ourselves into the state meet and with five good scores I think we can hold our own."