The hits keep coming for state champion Stevenson
The Stevenson boys gymnastics team has hit its routines all season.
Nothing changed on the sport's biggest stage on Friday night at Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort - as Stevenson won its first state title since recording a three-peat from 2002-04.
The Patriots finished comfortably ahead of runner-up Lincoln-Way co-op, 162.45 to 158.45. Conant also brought home a trophy, placing third with a 154.5, while Downers Grove North was fourth with a 153.4.
"Our approach since Day One has been hitting," Stevenson coach Mike Farina said. "They've done it all season. To have such a high percentage of hitting is something else, and tonight I didn't tell them to do anything different than focus on hitting."
The Patriots received a 9.75 on pommel horse from Lukasz Adamczyk, a 9.5 on parallel bars from Alex Hoersten, a 9.25 on still rings from Mike Wilner and a 9.2 in the floor exercise from Scott Siegel as it took contributions from the entire team to deliver a state championship.
Hoersten also scored a 9.45 on vault, 9.3 in the floor exercise and a 9 on the pommel horse. Siegel added a 9 on high bar, Adamczyk posted a 9.2 on parallel bars and a 9.1 on vault and Wilner finished with a 9.1 on vault, 8.9 on high bar and 8.25 on pommel horse.
"We knew if we hit tonight that we'd do pretty well," Wilner said. "For the past two weeks of practice we'd go up to each event and write 'h' or 'm' (hit or miss) and it was the same tonight. We weren't concerned with any other team, just ourselves and hitting and letting the scores fall where they may."
Stevenson's biggest competition, Lincoln-Way co-op, was short-handed, competing with one of its top gymnasts, Ryan Mars unavailable because of a foot injury. Lincoln-Way also lost Jake Gratkowski in warmups.
"I was satisfied with our effort," Lincoln-Way coach Skip Adamson said. "We had some kids that needed to step up and we finished strong."
Led by Anthony Crivolio's 9.25 in the floor exercise and 9.4 vault, Conant was able to secure third place.
"We're very pleased," Conant coach Paul Kim said. "They pulled together as a team and knew what they had to do to get a trophy and they did it. When one of the guys fell, there was someone to pick him up, and that's how it's been all season."
Crivolio added a 9.05 on parallel bars and an 8.95 on still rings, while freshman Joey Mauk scored an 8.8 on high bar and 8.65 on still rings, Steve Rink contributed an 8.9 on parallel bars and 8.25 on pommel horse and Billy Belmonte offered an 8.65 on vault.
"I love our kids," Kim said, "They truly are a team. They support each other, practice hard and stuck together. I couldn't have asked for a better season or a better group of guys. It's been a great season."