Scouting boys gymnastics sectional meets
Palatine sectional
When: Today, 2 p.m.
Where: Palatine High School
Area teams: Hersey, Prospect, Schaumburg, Conant, Hoffman Estates, Fremd, Palatine, Rolling Meadows; individual entries from Elgin
Favorite: Palatine
Team advancement: The team which compiles the highest score advances as a “ranked qualifying team” to the state final next Friday at Lincoln-Way East High School. The three teams which compile the highest scores without winning a sectional will also advance to the state final as “at-large qualifying teams.”
Individual advancement: The first five places in each individual event advance to Saturday’s state finals at Lincoln-Way East competition. They are called “ranked qualifiers.” In addition, the top 25 individuals with the highest scores among those who are not “ranked qualifiers” advance as “at-large qualifiers.” A maximum of 50 ranked and at-large qualifiers advance to state.
All Arounders advancement: The top three all-around individuals advance as “ranked qualifiers.” In addition, the top 15 individuals with the highest scores among those not “ranked qualifiers” will advance as “at-large qualifiers.”
Recent scores: The meet includes all but two Mid-Suburban League teams (Buffalo Grove and Barrington). Here is how the teams scored in MSL meet last week at Elk Grove High School: 2. Palatine (146.35); 3. Conant (144.75); 5 Schaumburg (134.00); 6. Fremd (129.25); 7. Hoffman Estates (125.30); 8. Rolling Meadows (120.80); 9. Hersey (116.85) 10. Prospect (114.45).
Outlook: The Pirates, who dropped over 5 points from their season-high in the Mid-Suburban Meet, are looking to get back on track and try to win their third sectional. Coach Scott Hagel guided the Pirates to titles in 2007 and 2008 when the Pirates were first and third respectively in the state tourney. Hagel has two of the area’s top all-arounders with MSL champ Jonah Hinz and sixth-place finisher Damian Pryzstal. The Pirates are trying to qualify as a team for the fourth time in five years. Conant is shooting for a ninth sectional crown, its last in 1997. Cougars coach Paul Kim has steered the Cougars to a state qualifying berth the last two years. Other top ten all-arounders from the MSL meet are Conant’s Steve Rink (50.85, third place), Rolling Meadows Marc Herff (50.75, fourth place), Hoffman Estates’ Kyle Santiago (46.15, eighth place), Fremd’s C.J. Patton (45.90, ninth place) and Schaumburg’s Alex Lin (45.55). The sectional includes four gymnasts who won MSL individuals crowns: Fremd’s Bobby Wongkamalasai (9.5 on the floor), Fremd’s C.J. Patton (9.45 on the pommel horse), Rolling Meadows’ Marc Herff (9.0 on the still rings and 9.45 on the parallel bars) and Conant’s Vince Gottardo (9.35 on the vault).
Mundelein sectional
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Where: Mundelein High School
Who: Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Glenbrook South, Glenbrook North, Mundelein, Stevenson, Highland Park Co-Op, Libertyville. Individual entries from Lake Zurich, Huntley and McHenry.
Favorite: Mundelein
Outlook: The No. 4-ranked host Mustangs are favored to earn a spot in their first Elite Eight meet since 2005. The Mustangs have really missed senior all-arounder Scott Marthinsen for the better part of the season due to a sprained wrist, but Marthinsen is expected to compete in the all-around Saturday even if he is not at 100 percent.
Marthinsen has been a mainstay for the Mundelein program and he is on track to make his fourth straight appearance at state next weekend. Mundelein has not scored near its season-high 152.8 that it scored early this season when it was at full strength with Marthinsen in the all-around. Mid-Suburban East runner-up Buffalo Grove has put together a very solid campaign. Buffalo Grove coach Chris Stevens has three seniors with state-meet experience competing as all-arounder Eugene Blackmon, Kyle Chamberlain (vault, floor exercise), and Kyle Siebert (parallel bars, still rings) will try to reach state again in numerous events. All-arounder David Kavalerchik (12th in the MSL meet with a 42.50) is another key for Buffalo Grove. The Bison placed fourth at the MSL meet with a 136.65 score. Blackmon was seventh in the all-around (46.70). Buffalo Grove won a sectional in 1977 and qualified as a team in 1977, 1978 and 1980.