Carmel looks sharp in return to action at Lake Forest

Back from the holiday break, Carmel Catholic's girls gymnastics team showed it's ready for the next part of the season.

The Corsairs posted one of their best scores this season, 144.875, and took runner-up honors in the Robin Straus Invitational hosted by Lake Forest on Saturday night.

Defending state champion Prairie Ridge chalked a winning 147.95, while Wheaton Warrenville South (141.15) was third. Deerfield (141) and Lake Park (140.525) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 12-team field.

"Coming off break, it's always good to see where you are with some new skills," Carmel coach Sarah Mikrut Doyle said. "I thought there were some nerves here and there. They're the most ridiculously sweet and hardworking group of girls. You really can't ask for much more. There was some good stuff out here from them."

Carmel's Kelly Gustafson finished second on balance beam with a 9.525, despite not having a good warmup, she said.

"My warmup was a little shaky," Gustafson said. "But looking back and seeing the rest of my team cheering me on helped. I thought my series was a little bit off with my wrong foot. I just remembered what we were doing in practice over break and what we were working for. I was just able to put it back together."

Carmel's Lyndsey Basara placed fifth on beam (9.375) and finished in a fourth-place tie on floor exercise with Lake Park's Kelly Zehnder (9.35). The Corsairs' Isabella Kropiwiec tied for second with Jamie LaBue of Wheaton Warrenville South (9.55).

LaBue was the top all-around gymnast, posting a 37.65. The sophomore chalked up top honors on balance beam (9.6) and was fifth on bars (9.25).

"I've been doing what I've needed to do in practice," LaBue said. "I really didn't expect it all. I thought beam was my best event. I just did everything that I wanted to do. The rest of the team helped me out by cheering for me."

Prairie Ridge's Ciara Ryan tied her teammate Maddy Kim for second in the all-around (37.525), while Lake Forest's Kristen Fisch (36.975) was fifth. Ryan won vault (9.6) and bars (9.7). Deerfield's Jordy Agins finished third on bars (9.375).

Emma Grace Redmond-Mattucci of St. Charles co-op finished third on floor (9.375).