Glenbard West happy with performance
Maddie Diab was grimacing in pain after completing her beam routine during Friday's IHSA girls gymnastics finals in Palatine.
Who knows if she even raised her head to see that she scored a 9.45, the second-highest score in the preliminaries.
With that score she advanced to Saturday's event finals. The sophomore also advanced on vault with a 9.725 and bars with a 9.625.
"Maddie was the trooper today," Hilltoppers coach Carlos Fuentes said. "She's hurting physically and you can see it, but she fights so hard for the team. It's always the team before herself and she had a great meet."
Glenbard West sits in eighth place with 142.4 points.
"I think we had a great meet," Fuentes said. "Our score might not have indicated it, but we hit 19 of 20 routines and we were just grateful for the opportunity to get here again."
It was the fifth time in eight seasons that the Hilltoppers have sent their team to state.
Prairie Ridge co-op likely will win its third straight championship. It leads with 148.7 points, with DeKalb/Sycamore co-op the distant runner-up with 146.875 points.
Lake Park landed in ninth place with 142.05 points.
"It's just a great feeling to be here again, knowing you were on one of the teams that got the farthest you can get," Lancers junior Kelly Zehnder said. "We did as well as we could. We came in with good thoughts, and now that we're done it's sort of a relief."
The Lancers placed fifth last season.
"Coming here for the second time in a row has been a great accomplishment in itself, especially with some new girls and having to build the team up again," Zehnder said. "There were so many amazing teams here. I'm just happy we were able to compete with them again."
Glenbard North senior Erin Bregman had hoped to fare better in the all-around. She finished in 10th place with a 37.25 after some uncharacteristic struggles on floor and beam.
Still, she advanced to the event finals on vault with a 9.7 and bars with a 9.575.
"It didn't go as well as I had planned, but it's fine," Bregman said. "My beam was off and floor didn't go like I wanted, but I'm happy with how I finished on vault and bars."
Her teammate Delaney Guy scored a 34.85 in the all-around.
Downers Grove South is sending two gymnasts to the event finals. Senior Kayla Carlson tied for the 10th and final qualifier on floor with a 9.375 while sophomore Andrea Davenport earned an opportunity on beam with a 9.3.
Wheaton co-op freshman Caroline Gillis made her state debut, scoring an 8.075 on floor.
Neuqua Valley sophomore Olivia Nelson also made her first appearance at state. The lone gymnast from the Naperville area scored a 7.925 on beam.
Glenbard East senior Veronika Srey scored a 35.55 in the all-around in her first state appearance.