Senior Dunne, soph Miller on medal quest

Buffalo Grove senior Linda Dunne and Schaumburg sophomore Ashley Miller enter the IHSA girls state gymnastics meet with different perspectives.

Dunne is looking to put an exclamation point on a stellar high school career, while Miller is hoping to make an opening splash.

An experienced Dunne will be making her fourth consecutive trip to the state meet, while Miller will be making her debut.

But starting at 12:30 p.m in today's preliminaries, the pair has one thing in common- they'll both be shooting for their first state medal.

Dunne holds the BG record in the vault (9.65) and bars (9.55), and is second on the beam (9.65).

Dunne has qualified in the all-around all four years and last year she made it to Saturday's finals in an individual event, tying for sixth place on the beam, marking the highest finish for a Bison competitor at state since Maria Papadopoulos took sixth on the beam in 1996.

Dunne has made her mark at Buffalo Grove.

"When people think of Buffalo Grove, they're going to think what they've seen the last four years," said BG coach Stephanie Schrader of her senior star. "She's always been consistent; she's been that way since she came in."

Miller is beginning to make her mark at Schaumburg.

After a solid freshman season, the sophomore has exploded this season, setting school records on the bars (9.75), vault (9.7) and all-around (37.95) and becoming the first Schaumburg gymnast to win the Mid-Suburban League all-around title (37.575) since Cheryl Kosak in 1987.

"I really saw it coming," added Schaumburg coach Jami Stilling of Miller's emergence. "She is so talented. I spent half the season trying to convince her how good she really was. I think now at the end she really believes it."

Both are threats in the all-around, but their medal aspirations may rest in the individual events.

Dunne just missed a medal on the beam last season but enters Friday's preliminaries with the fifth-best sectional mark (9.4).

The senior's flip-flop, flip-flop series is one of the smoothest around and has spurred her to conference, regional and sectional titles.

"That was the goal last year to make finals," said Dunne of her beam performance. "Hopefully I can make it again this year and get the medal. I'm feeling pretty comfortable."

Miller has perfected her Tkatchev release on the bars and enters the state meet tied for the third-best sectional mark (9.525).

The sophomore was hit or miss early in the season, but after making a few adjustments she has nailed her bar routine in the postseason, taking first at conference, regionals and sectionals.

"Bars have always been my favorite event," added Miller, "I always wanted to throw something big, make people go 'wow.'"

The pair has definitely "wowed" the crowd this season, finishing 1-2 in the all-around in the MSL, but they have also had to overcome some "oops" moments, too.

Dunne started the sectionals with a pedestrian 8.475 on the floor. The senior came back strong on the vault (9.350), bars (9.375) and beam to nail fourth in the all-around.

"I was obviously disappointed," added Dunne of her sectional start, "But if anything having a setback pushed me more to finish well."

Miller survived a pair of falls on beam at the regionals, then had a fall on the floor at sectionals before taking fifth and advancing in the all-around.

"I learned the hard way," said Miller of staying consistent. "It will make or break you, just have to have a consistent, clean routine you can hit."

Dunne's legacy is in the final draft, while Miller's is yet to be written, but both will be experiencing and dealing with the pressures of a state meet, although at different levels.

"If anything more so now, just because it's my last year," said Dunne of the state pressure. "But pressure can be either a good or bad thing, so I'm trying to make it a good thing."

"It is new," said Miller of the state meet experience. "But I expect to hit my bar routine, hit every event and have the best meet I can ­- just stay positive."

Miller's emergence may have caught some by surprise, but the Schaumburg sophomore has laid the foundation for future success.

"I think it has lit a spark," said Stilling of Miller's breakthrough season. "She's excited and sees the potential not only for herself, but for the team."

Dunne is the finished product; the senior will attend University of Illinois next year, but will not compete at the next level. This weekend wraps up a brilliant run.

"There's not one exact moment, all four years have been great," added Dunne, "I've had great coaches and teammates, it's been the whole package.

"I'd love to get a medal, but if it doesn't happen I'm still happy with what I did."

From Miller's start to Dunne's finish the pair have left plenty smiling.