Fremd in middle of trophy hunt

Fremd coach Jim Guest has been patient in waiting to show his hand this season, but several early-season injuries put its rotation in flux.

But Guest finally showed his hand on Friday at the IHSA girls gymnastics preliminaries and the Vikings were dealing and head into Saturday's finals in third place with 145.925 points at Palatine.

Carmel leads with 146.975 points, with Lyons in second place with 146.77 points. Glenbard West (145.525) and Prairie Ridge Co-op (145.925) round out a tight top five.

Fremd will be going for its 19th trophy today.

"A lot of teams would have folded with the hand we were dealt," said Guest of the injuries that took away three promising freshmen. "But we're sitting in third place and that's good for us."

Today's finals will begin at 6:30 p.m at Palatine and individual event titles and team title will be decided.

Warren senior Kim Gotlund won the all-around title with 38.275 followed by Addison Trail junior Alyssa Cruz (37.875) and 2009 all-around champ Jenny Covers (37.65) of Prairie Ridge.

Senior Caitlin Golota advanced for Fremd on bars (9.475) tying for third place. Golota missed last season's state meet due to a left ankle injury, but the senior more than made up for it on Friday.

"I'm so excited, that was one of my goals," said Golota who advanced to her first Saturday finals. "There were definitely nerves with not competing last year, but it's my last chance so I wanted to have fun with it."

Golota contributed on vault (9.6), junior Maegen Wochinski picked it up on floor (9.275) and vault (9.4), with junior Alyssia VanDuch contributing on vault (9.375) and sophomore Stephanie Uhrich hitting on floor (9.225) for Fremd.

"It is really tight," said Wochinski of the team score, "I think we really stepped it up on floor because we knew what was at stake"

Wheeling senior Amy Burke advanced to Saturday's finals by using a Yurchenko layout to tie for second on vault (9.725).

"I just wanted to put everything I had into it," said Burke who is attempting to win the Wildcats first girls gymnastics medal since Wendy Lahucik in 1991. "I knew this could be the end. I just wanted to put everything I had into it."

Ashley Miller came up big for Schaumburg; the sophomore hit her Tkatchev release and recovered from a shaky dismount to tie for ninth on bars (9.3).

"I was nervous because I knew I had to hit if I wanted to make it to finals," said Miller. "I pulled in on my dismount so I was really close, but I didn't fall."

Khrystyna Lychagina took sixth on beam as a sophomore for Leyden, but last year she missed qualifying for the state meet. The senior came back with vengeance this year, tying for third on the beam (9.5).

"I was completely focused on it and I knew what I had to do and I did it," said Lychagina. "It's really special for me, especially after missing last year."

Jordyn and Abby Madden both came into the state meet with high expectations for St. Edward. The two sisters had sparkled at the regional and sectional meets with Abby taking first in the all-around at both meets.

But the sophomore and freshman sister tandem will have to wait one more year to show their stuff at Saturday's finals.

Jordyn, a sophomore, finished eighth on the vault last season for the Green Wave, and missed qualifying for this year's vault finals, tying for 17th place (9.45).

"I tried to doing a layout," said Jordyn of her vault. "But I think they counted it as a pike - I thought maybe I had it."

Abby hit high on the vault (9.35) and floor (9.025) but missed qualifying for Saturday's finals. The freshman is hoping to use this season as a building block for future success.

"I was really nervous coming in," added Abby of her first state experience. "But it was fun and long day. Now we just have to continue adding harder skills, and I'm excited for next year."