Fill wins state title on parallel bars
In a high school career that’s been filled with exciting moments and countless achievements, Wheaton co-op’s Darren Fill finished with a flourish, winning the parallel bars with a 9.6 during Saturday’s IHSA boys state gymnastics championships.
“It really just makes that last routine something that I’ll never forget,” Fill said. “Landing it and looking up to the crowd. It was incredible. There aren’t words to describe how awesome that felt.”
Fill also took home second place on vault with a 9.5 and fifth on still rings with a 9 for a Wheaton team that featured three other state finalists.
Senior Mike Brackmann took third place on pommel horse with a 9.35 and high bar with a 9.25, junior Mark Ciesielski was third on floor with a 9.6, and freshman Ethan Sansone was seventh on parallel bars with a 9.1.
Glenbard North senior Ryan Kennedy was a part of the 2009 state champion Panthers team but had never advanced to the individual finals prior to Saturday. Kennedy advanced in three events, taking seventh on floor and earning medals on pommel horse, taking fourth with a 9.15 and securing second place on high bar with a 9.35.
“Having never made it to the finals before I kind of felt like a champion just getting to the finals,” Kennedy said. “To medal didn’t really matter, because I felt like a champion either way.”
Naperville North had two finalists as Josh Soto advanced on pommel horse and Billy Suta on still rings and high bar. Soto tied for seventh place with an 8.85.
“Once I found out I made the finals I was pretty excited,” Soto said. “It was pretty laid back, but with everyone’s eyes on me, I was a little nervous but did the best I could.”
Suta took fifth place on still rings with a 9 and tied for fourth on high bar with a 9.1.
“I didn’t expect to place like I did, but I expected to hit,” Suta said. “I did what I could do and did it well so I’m happy. We both hit and had a good time doing it.”
Naperville Central’s Dave Rynearson tied for the third-highest score on vault during the preliminaries but wasn’t as precise in the evening, taking seventh place with a 9.2.
“Overall I had a good meet, but I was really hoping to stick that vault like in preliminaries,” he said. “When I hit the springboard my toes curled under and I’m pretty sure I broke my toe. When I landed, I stutter stepped and got all my deductions. I had fun. I just was hoping to be top five.”
Fenton junior Eric Owusu took ninth place on vault with a 9.1.
Downers Grove North was represented by Matt Rakow on floor, Luke Wychocki on pommel horse and high bar and Luke Schubert on every event save for pommel horse and floor. Schubert’s sixth place score of 8.95 on high bar was the top finish for the Trojans.
West Aurora junior Doug Sullivan won the pommel horse with a 9.55. He became the first boys gymnast from the Tri-Cities to win an individual state title.
Hinsdale Central’s Tyler Leahy won vault Lincoln-Way co-op’s Ajani Cargle and Libertyville’s Craig Breckenridge tied for first on floor Lincoln-Way co-op’s Ryan Reif took top honors on still rings and Cargle was the high bar champ with a 9.4.