Tri-Cities gymnastics preview
Batavia
Coach: Taryn Boyce (7th year)
Top returnees: Sarah Ganster (So., all-around), Lilly Garcia (So., all-around), Meggan Hagemann (Jr., all-around), Mandy Stangl (So., all-around), Erin Sykstos (So., all-around).
Outlook: It may seem like it was just yesterday that the Bulldogs were in Palatine competing in the state finals for the first time in school history. That was just two years ago and now the Bulldogs are in major rebuilding mode with only 12 gymnasts in the program this year. The team lost standout Danae Fuqua and a few other top seniors to graduation and while Emma Gear could have come back this winter and competed in her senior year, she decided against returning. “We’re very young and are going to have to regroup,” Batavia coach Taryn Boyce said. “The good thing is that some of the girls did some work over the summer, but we’re still very young and some of the girls don’t even know much about the sport.” Because of a lack of depth this season, look for the Bulldogs to often compete with five all-arounders. Their scores also are expected to be lower than usual earlier on as Meggan Hagemann has appendicitis. “The sophomores, who are young too, are stepping up and helping with the freshmen so that’s good,” Boyce said. “But it’s going to take some time and we’ll just have to watch and see what happens.”
Geneva
Coach: Kim Hostman (12th year)
Top returnees: Blythe Boyle (Sr., vault), Sadie Dainko (Sr., floor exercise), Jenna Ginsberg (So., bars), Alexis Graham (Jr. vault, floor), Alycia Hostman (Sr., beam, vault), Kaitlyn Kanarowski (Jr., all-around), Erin Kluck (Sr., floor), Emily Ott (Sr., beam, floor, bars).
Newcomers: Ashley Puff (So., all-around), Haley Carol (So., all-around).
Outlook: There are plenty of reasons to be excited in Geneva this season. The team advanced out of its own regional with a 139.125 last winter before finishing its team season with a 137.3 in the Glenbard West sectional. Most of the gymnasts are back to try to get the Vikings into sectional play for the second consecutive year and to compete for a chance of advancing to state. Senior Emily Ott knows what state is all about after performing in Palatine on beam and the floor exercise in February. “Actually we’ll be better than last year for sure,” Ott said. “The new conference will be a change so I’m not too sure about that but we hope to be even stronger than we were last year.” The team did lose Cami Pfetzer to graduation and Delaney Wood, a sectional qualifier in the floor exercise last season, chose not to come out for the team. But, the remaining makeup of the team appears pretty solid. Junior all-arounder Kaitlyn Kanarowski leads the rest of the top returnees. Although she’s expected to miss some of the early part of the season due to an injury, the Vikings will welcome her return. Kanarowski advanced to the sectional on vault, beam and as an all-arounder last year. Sophomore newcomers Ashley Puff and Haley Carol appear to be the most significant news for the team. “I feel real comfortable getting Ashley and Haley because they will bring a lot to the team, and we have more depth than before which will be big for us,” Geneva coach Kim Hostman said. “We lost a great leader in Cami. But Emily (Ott) is a strong captain and with the depth we have the girls will have to fight for their spots, which is exciting because they all want to be a part of the team.”
St. Charles co-op
Coach: Amy Lill (4th year)
Top returnees: Kaylee Arnold (Jr., all-around), Meredith Beird (Sr., bars, beam), Kathryn Doody (Jr., vault, bars), AJ Francioni (Jr., beam, floor exercise), Andrea Schwartz (So., all-around), Kristin Sheehan (Jr., bars, vault), Erin Wienrich (Jr., all-around).
Newcomers: Sidney Copeland (Fr., all-around), Jessica Ortiz (So., beam, floor exercise).
Outlook: St. Charles co-op didn’t end well last season when troubles on the beam ended the team’s season in the Naperville North regional. It was a disappointing finish for a talented team led by Stephanie de la Torriente. St. Charles will look to redeem itself once the postseason arrives, but will have to do so without de la Torriente, as well as recent graduates Megan Brogan, Shelby leDuc and Kaitlyn Wilson. The talent appears to be in St. Charles as does some depth. Meredith Beird, a bars and beam specialist, is the lone top returning senior, but St. Charles also returns all-arounders Kaylee Arnold, Andrea Schwartz and Erin Wienrich. “My hopes for this season are to have a healthy team,” coach Amy Lill said. “We also have our sights set on making it to both sectionals and state. I am fortunate enough to have a lot of returning girls as well as some newcomers who bring lots of talent.” Those newcomers include sophomore specialist Jessica Ortiz and freshman all-arounder Sidney Copeland. “I think both Sidney and Jessica will play a significant role this year as newcomers,” Lill said. “We do have a fairly young team.” Beird is the lone gymnast remaining from the 2008 team that finished eighth in the state. “Overall, I have a very talented team and I look forward to seeing what this season may bring,” Lill said. “I have confidence in their ability. It should be a good season.”