Panthers' points break school mark

One of the many things Glenbard North boys gymnastics coach Edsel Clark has been blessed with this year is depth.

The Panthers put it on display during Thursday's Glenbard North sectional and won convincingly, while also establishing a new school record for high score with a total of 158.850. Conant edged Prospect 145.750-144.300 for second place.

"We haven't scored like this since very early on," Clark said. "We knew coming into tonight that it was about hitting routines, and what I'm most impressed with is how they encouraged and supported one another and didn't focus on scores or what the other gymnasts and teams we're doing."

You know things are going well for your team when you post the three top all-around scores. Ryan Vandenack, who injured himself on Monday and didn't practice the rest of the week, led the way with a 52. Tyler DeAnda took second while sophomore Ryan Kennedy took third. Vandenack also won high bar and Kennedy took top honors in the floor exercise.

In addition to the all-around dominance, specialists Jesus Soto and Tyler Arl both excelled. Soto won on pommel horse while Arl won on still rings and tied for first on parallel bars.

"Every event we have an extra guy so we have a lot of depth," DeAnda said. "Some teams have three good all-arounders, but we have five solid guys going on every event so if any of us messes up we don't have to worry."

Now the Panthers hope to make their opponents in Frankfort at next week's state meet worry.

"We weren't perfect tonight, but if we clean it up a little we can break 160," Vandenack said. "We'll have a good chance of coming home (with a trophy)."

Clinton Martin won vault, tied for second in the floor exercise and captured fourth on high bar to lead Conant. Teammates Anthony Crivolio and Steve Rink finished in fifth and sixth place in the all-around respectively for the Cougars.

"Overall it wasn't our highest score this season, but we scored some of our best routines and thought it was one of our best meets," Martin said. "This will be my first time going (to state) on floor, so I was happy with that."

Prospect coach Pat Kivland figured his Knights would need to score 150 to have a chance at capturing one of the three at-large team qualifiers. Through the first four events Prospect was on target for a 149 but struggled on still rings and vault.

"We had some problems early on in the meet, but what was amazing was that some of the second, third and fourth guys did some of the best jobs we've seen," Kivland said. "Rings we were out of control and did very bad on, and vault we fell apart and vault is maybe our best event."

Senior Joe Napoleon paced the Knights with a fourth-place finish in the all-around.

Lake Park's Tommy Gage tied for second in the floor exercise, Jon Galante claimed fifth on parallel bars, and Gary Soper didn't have a good evening but still took second on still rings. All three Lancers will represent Lake Park next weekend.

"I tried to overdo everything and show it off," Soper said. "I put too much power into it. When you mess up something that you hit all the time they're going to nail you on the score."

A handful of other gymnasts qualified as individuals for the state finals. The list will include Elk Grove's Mike Jachura, who took fourth in the floor exercise, as well as Rolling Meadows' Jon Scallon, who took second on pommel horse, and Marc Herff, who tied for first on parallel bars and tied for fifth on still rings.