Senior skills lift Reszotko, Hersey in MSL triangular

Hersey was locked in a tight duel with Barrington on Wednesday night in its Mid-Suburban League girls gymnastics triangular meet.

But the Huskies finished with a flurry on the floor.

Senior Katelyn Reszotko recovered from a falls on the bar and beam by taking first on the floor with a 9.3, leading host Hersey to first place with 136.8 points on senior night in Arlington Heights.

Barrington (134.05 points) took second followed by Wheeling (118.4 points).

"We've been working hard, trying to become a legit team and make our name known," said Reszotko, who took third in the all-around (35.7). "I think we're accomplishing it. I think we can keep improving. We're adding new things - now we have to hit."

Reszotko flashed one of her new skills on the bars, barely missing a Tkachev. But the senior came back from the fall to tie for second place with an 8.9.

Junior Haley Scott took second on the vault (9.3) and Katie Dewar added a second on the beam (8.75) in a solid performance by the Huskies.

Hersey looked strong on both the vault (35.9) and floor (35.3), and flashed enough potential the bars and beam to have Hersey coach Jacqueline Parat optimistic for the second half of the season.

"Hopefully we got the jitterbugs out," Parat said of her team's first meet since the break. "We're picking up where we left off and now we can only go up from there."

Barrington had a bad break before the meet even began when junior Lexi Marsella injured her left ankle on the beam in warm-ups.

Last season Marsella was a state qualifier in the vault, but sophomore Tiffany Persels and sophomore Hannah Heider rose to the occasion for the Fillies.

Persels took second in the all-around (36.15), finishing first on beam (9.10), tying for second on bars (8.9), and placing third on floor (8.95) and vault (9.2).

Heider took second on floor (9.05) and tied Persels for third on vault (9.2).

"The team is working really hard, and with hard work comes injuries," added Persels who is coming back from a right knee injury. "But we're pushing through it."

Barrington is also missing Tori Brunnet and Anna Ollinger due to injuries, but the young Fillies have shown plenty of potential.

"The girls stepped up and did a great job," added Barrington coach Jason Loeffler, "The deeper a team is, the better off they will be in the long run. You can't count us out yet."

Amy Burke continued to look solid in coming back from an ankle injury. The senior took first in the all-around (36.3) to lead Wheeling.

Burke added a first on the vault (9.5) and bars (9.2), taking third on the beam (8.7).

"I only have one more meet, then conference," added Burke, "I'm looking to push through and aim for a high score."