Girls gymnastics / Scouting Northwest
Scouting girls gymnastics
Teams to watch: There will plenty to watch this season. Last year Carmel, Lake Forest, and Schaumburg finished 1-2-3 at state. Schaumburg won its first Mid-Suburban League title, sectional title, and state trophy, but this year the Saxons will have to replace three of their top gymnasts. Tim Hamman replaces Jim Guest as coach at Fremd, but the Vikings seem poised for another run at a state trophy.
Prospect’s Gianna Scala, Elk Grove’s Amelia Rafferty, and Conant’s Brie Bibel all had breakout freshman seasons and will be looking to continue their success this season. Fremd has a deep talented team, but Palatine, Prospect, and Barrington seem to be on the rise. Carmel, Lake Forest, Stevenson, Glenbard West and Prairie Ridge will be looking to make a run at a state trophy.
MID-SUBURBAN EAST
Buffalo Grove
Coach: Stephanie Schrader
Varsity gymnasts: Katie Strack (Sr.), Jordan Mann (Jr.), Erika Ray (So.), Stef Arapidis (Sr.), Margie Reilly (Jr.), Shelby Delaney (Sr.), Briggie Braslauskaite (Sr.).
Outlook: Strack missed last season with a knee injury, but the senior will lead the Bison attack this season.
Elk Grove
Coach: Heather DeCook
Varsity gymnasts: Amelia Rafferty (So.), Natalie Przybylski (Sr.), Kalina Kirilova (jr.), Ioana Manahilova (Sr.), Kat Baldovin (Sr.), Kim Fortin (Sr.), Sylvia Wolicki (Jr.).
Outlook: Rafferty was a state qualifier last year on the floor, and the sophomore will be one of the top gymnasts in the MSL. Rafferty took second on the floor at the MSL conference meet last season.
Hersey
Coach: Ben Anderson
Varsity gymnasts: Hannah Bovino (So.), Marissa Cussen (So.), Racheal Duda (So.), Gina Fasola (Jr.), Anne Johnson (So.), Cyndi Marguia (Sr.).
Outlook: Anderson is a first-year coach at Hersey and will be looking for improvement from a young team. Hersey lost Beata Styrczula, Haley Scott and Katie Dewar from last year but Johnson is looking to lead the way.
Prospect
Coach: Randy Smith
Varsity gymnasts: Lauren Johnson (Sr.) Meggie Kania (Jr.), Rayne Shaffer (Jr.), Gianna Scala (So.), Jackie DiFonso (So.), Maddie Larock (Fr.), Maddie Boldt (Fr.).
Outlook: Prospect finished third in the MSL last season and return Johnson and Scala, who were both state qualifiers. Scala took first on the floor in the MSL last season and will be one of the top all-arounders in conference. Kania is out with a back injury, but is hoping to return by the end of the season. Larock is a promising freshman to watch.
Rolling Meadows
Coach: Michael Costa
Varsity gymnasts: Lauren Cerza (Sr.), Sarah Bohac (Jr.), Rachel Anderson (So.), Shivani Patel (Jr.), Lexi Magnuson (Jr.).
Outlook: Cerza had a strong junior season and will lead the Mustangs. Anderson also showed promise and will help Meadows progress through the season.
Wheeling
Coach: Bob Esposito
Varsity gymnasts: Colleen Creech (Sr.), Anne Janulis (So.), Rebecca Mangino (So.), Annah Meintzer (So.), Alyssa Pink (Jr.).
Outlook: Esposito takes over at Wheeling. Creech leads a young Wildcat team, that will be looking for contributions from newcomers Janulis and Magino.
Mid-Suburban West
Barrington
Coach: Jason Loeffler
Varsity gymnasts: Marrissa Krysko (Sr.), Tiffany Persels (Sr.), Tori Brunet (Sr.), Claire Timlin (Sr.), Laine Leedstrom (So.), Jessica Lee (Fr.), Jada Jones (Fr.).
Outlook: The Fillies return a strong senior class with Krysko, Persels, Brunet and Timlin. Their experience will help guide a team that lost state qualifier Lexi Marsella. Leedstrom had a solid freshman season and is looking to continue her progress. Lee and Jones will add to a strong Fillies attack. Keep an eye on Lee, a freshman with plenty of talent.
Conant
Coach: Lorel Cunningham
Varsity gymnasts: Sarah Starzynski (Jr.), Meicie Bennett (So.), Brie Bibel (So.), Rachel Tong (Fr.), Bridget Shanahan (Fr.), Sydney Lorenzana (So.), Gina Massa (Fr.), Lauren Stone (Sr.).
Outlook: Conant will have a young but talented squad. Bibel was state qualifier last season and will be one of the top gymnasts in the MSL. The sophomore will have plenty of help from Starzynski and Bennett. A promising freshman class will also be looking to add to the Cougars attack that is quickly rising.
Fremd
Coach: Tim Hamman
Varsity gymnasts: Stephanie Uhrich (Sr.), Elizabeth Uhrich (Sr.), Stephanie Gallo (Jr.), Shannon Lemajeur (Jr.), Emily Pinderski (Jr.), Anna Johnson (Jr.), Christine Jensen (So.), Christine Radochonski (Fr.).
Outlook: Fremd lost Maegan Wochinski, Alyssia Van Duch, and Kelsey Onesto from last year’s team. Wochinski took fifth on the bars at state. But the Vikings return plenty of talent from a team that finished sixth at state despite numerous injuries. Stephanie and Elizabeth Uhrich will provide the senior leadership, but Gallo, Pinderski, Lamajeur and Johnson all have experience. Jensen showed plenty of promise her freshman season. Keep an eye on Lemajeur, the junior has dealt with injuries her first two seasons, but she has flashed plenty of talent. Hamman was a key assistant to Guest so it should be smooth transition. A healthy Fremd is a dangerous team.
Hoffman Estates
Coach: Natalie Tindle
Varsity gymnasts: Cheri Wilson (Jr.), Jill Steinmiller (Jr.), Alex Tuninaro (Sr.), Jasminka Sabic (Fr.)
Outlook: Hoffman is looking to make progress this season. Tuninaro and Steinmiller give the Hawks some experience.
Palatine
Coach: Terry Theobald
Varsity gymnasts: Marissa Mallon (Sr.), Abby Alden (Jr.), Megan Hedstrom (Jr.), Alissa Judson (Jr.), Nicole Kuksuk (Jr.), Andrea Ori (Fr.), Claudia Prystal (Fr.).
Outlook: Palatine came on strong at the end of last season and is looking to continue that progress this year. The Pirates lost Nicole Barba, a state qualifier, but return Kuksuk. The junior will start the season slow due to a back injury, but last year she was a state qualifier and finished third in the all-around in the MSL. Kuksuk will be a force by the end of the year. Alden and Hedstrom also are looking to give a fast rising team a lift.
Schaumburg
Coach: Jami Stilling
Varsity gymnasts: Erin Barrett (Jr.), Kristin Peterson (Sr.), Amanda Sigler (Jr.), Kat Young (So.), Tarah Schomer (Fr.), Samantha Panther (Fr.), Ashley Chimas (So.), Emylee Kline (So.), KC Kanitta (So.).
Outlook: Not only did Schaumburg lose Brooke Shimon and Caitlen Barret from last year’s team that took third at state, but the Saxons also lost Ashley Miller. She finished third in the all-around and uneven bars at the state meet but chose not to compete this season. Shimon added a third-place finish at state on the beam for the Saxons. Needless to say Stilling has some holes to fill. Barrett will lead the way as the junior came on strong last season and will be looking to continue that effort this season. Peterson, Sigler, and Young all offer experience for a team that is in transition.
Central Suburban North
Maine West
Coach: Caeli Sievert
Varsity gymnasts: Larisa Goran (Sr.), Isabel Huerta (Sr.), Michelle Madalinski (Sr.), Rachel Lunkes (Jr.), Jessica Bonilla (Jr.), Jessie Frank (Jr.), Natasha Tsinonis (So.), Dakot Kawalek (Fr.).
Outlook: Maine West is young, but Sievert is counting on improvement throughout the season. Madalinksi offers experience and talent.
West Suburban Gold
Leyden
Coach: Jason Orna
Varsity gymnasts: Kara Urbaniak (So.) Melissa Pasterz (So.), Cailyn Mullins (Jr.), Kristy Dolan (Jr.), Ashley Lennon (So.), Bri Morales (Sr.)
Outlook: Orna will field a young squad this season for Leyden, but the Eagles have talent that is working hard.