Boys gymnastics/Scouting the Mid-Suburban League meet
By Dick Quagliano
Daily Herald Correspondent
Where: Hersey High School
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Team outlook: The West has been the best this year. The top five MSL schools; Palatine (147.975), Conant (144.50), Fremd (140.50), Hoffman Estates (138.85) and Schaumburg (132.90), have posted higher team scores than MSL East champion Buffalo Grove (132.60). Palatine has continued its dominance in the West, winning the conference title for the ninth time in the last 10 years. The Pirates are led by Jonah Hinz, who will be a strong favorite to win the all-around title. The junior is coming off his best meet of the season last week, where he scored a 54.45. Mike Jankovec, Matt Lee, Lucas Price and Austin Hoening also are key contributors. Conant has been on a roll since the return on Joey Mauk, who did not compete high school gymnastics last season. The Cougars are coming off their best meet of the season. Fremd has been solid all year behind Bobby Wongkamalasai, C.J. Patton and Quin Bley, breaking that magical 140 mark once this season. Hoffman Estates coach Ryan Brown had just hoped his team could hit 130 this season. But Brown, who is in his first year as head coach after replacing Scott Philips, has the Hawks soaring and hoping to land a 140. Kyle and Jake Santiago lead the Hawks. Schaumburg is hoping to have Matt Sigler back in the lineup to add to Chris Stehlin and James McDougall. Buffalo Grove won the East early in the season when they knocked off Hersey in the first week of the season. Since then the Bison have been battling injuries, but still been consistent. David Kavalerchik and Nick Balko have been solid for the Bison while Julian Vasquez is back from an injury. Hersey will have the advantage of the home equipment and should see strong performances from Thomas Reynolds, David Jackowski and Dan Urban.
Individual Events: Hinz is the favorite in high bar and could be challenged by Hoffman’s Kyle Santiago. Hinz, who is a junior, is also in contention in four of the five other individual events.
Hinz, Mauk, Hoffman’s Jake Santiago, Stehlin, Bley and Kavalerchik should contend on the parallel bars. Schaumburg’s Chris Stehlin, Kavalerchik, Lee and Kyle Santiago will challenge Hinz on the still rings.
Wongkamalasai, Conant’s Billy Belmonte, Reynolds, Jackowski, Jankovec, Balko and Hinz will battle on the vault. The floor will have a tremendous field and will be the most competitive event of the evening. Hinz, Wongkamalasai, Reynolds, Jackowski, Hersey’s Dan Urban, Prospect’s Timothy Pappas and Conant’s Tommy Palm all have gone higher than 9.20 this year. But watch for Vasquez, who returned last Friday from an early season injury and won the floor at the Niles North Invitational with a 9.60.
After posting a 9.70 on the pommel horse last week, Fremd’s C.J. Patton most likely will not be challenged on this grueling event. Hinz, Elk Grove’s Kenji Fukuda, Conant’s Brian Reedy and Prospect’s Ringo Larock will look to medal.