Warren's Gotlund claims all-around at Lake County Invite
The competitive bar in Lake County girls gymnastics has risen to a new level.
Reigning state champion Stevenson emerged on top with 146.75, ahead of Lake Forest 145.75, Carmel Catholic 145.725 and Warren 145.15 in the nine-team Lake County Invitational field at Mundelein on Saturday.
Northern Illinois-bound Kim Gotlund of Warren earned honors in the all-around (38.43) over Carmel's Amber Mirski (37.9).
In one of the meet's highlights, Vernon Hills gymnast Fallon Faia made a triumphant return to the Mundelein gymnasium.
Competing last year here at the North Suburban Conference meet, Faia suffered a seizure during her uneven parallel bars routine and lost consciousness a short time later.
"I felt dizzy in the middle of my bar routine," Faia said. "I got off the bar and just collapsed. However, I got up and walked to the lobby, where nobody really saw. But then I collapsed again and that's where my heart stopped. It was rough and I survived. Then a month later, it happened again at school."
Faia has been undergoing neurological treatment at Children's Memorial Hospital, where she was diagnosed with vascular migraines. She was finally cleared to resume gymnastics late in the summer.
"Since I had such a severe head trauma, my brain would swell up and make my blood pressure go to a stroke level and then down to unconscious levels," Faia said. "I had hematoma, being a puddle of blood on the right side of my brain. Luckily, it could have been worse where I needed surgery."
On Saturday, Faia competed on the same bars and scored an 8.2.
"I try and forget about it," Faia said. "Every time I get on the bars I think about it. It does scare me, but it's been my biggest hurdle. I've been able to push through it. I take everything one skill at a time. I keep thinking, 'I want this and have worked so hard in letting everyone let me get back to gymnastics.' "
Faia added a sixth on vault (9.425), seventh on beam (9.3) and eighth on floor (9.1)
Stevenson overcame some rough moments to take team honors.
"We fought through and were able to win the meet," said Patriots coach Judy Harwood. "We did a good enough job to succeed. It wasn't a very easy time to succeed. Falls on bars, beam and floor. Still room for improvement."
The Patriots' Caitlin Pagano had a season best on bars (9.7) for first, and she added a second on beam (9.55), third in all-around (37.7) and tied for fifth on floor (9.35), with Warren's Katie Vovolka.
"It was my best routine because of my dismount," said Pagano of her bars performance. "We've been working on more endurance and conditioning."
The Patriots' Ali Castriano finished third on floor (9.55) and fourth in all-around (37.13).
Carmel's Mirski had a a season-best 37.9 for her runner-up finish in the all-around. She placed second on bars (9.6), fourth on floor (9.50) and fourth on beam (9.4).
Her sister, Kristin, finished fourth on vault (9.525) and fifth on bars (9.35). Jen Zeller took third on bars (9.5) for the Corsairs.
"We came in this meet adding some major skills," said Carmel coach Sarah Doyle. "We need to get that stuff out of the way and get confidence in our skills."
Gotlund won her second straight all-around with a season-best 38.43, which beat her 38.25 at the Lake Forest Invitational last Saturday. Gotlund took first on beam (9.575) and tied for first on floor (9.65) with Kyla Carlson of Lake Forest. Gotlund also finished second on vault (9.8) behind Lake Forest's Ofelia Carmichael, and fourth on bars (9.4).
"Right now I've got to work on my landings," Gotlund said. "Just work more on constancy on everything to get better."
The Blue Devils' Vovolka tied for fifth in all-around (36.8) with Libertyville's Leah Herchenbach and Lake Forest's Carlson. Herchenbach was third on beam (9.45) and teammate Lindsay Schweitzer took fifth (9.375).