Carmel chalks up Lake Forest title

Carmel Catholic's girls gymnastics team didn't take time away from the gym over the holiday break.

Instead, the Corsairs worked out every day to get ready for the next part of their season.

Their first competition of the new year took place at Lake Forest on Saturday, and they showed they were ready, as they edged Prairie Ridge 146.65-146.3. Wheaton-Warrenville South (142.25) finished third in the 12-team meet ahead of Lake Park (137.55), Geneva (136.75) and Conant (136.25) in the Robin Strauss Invitational.

"I think coming off break like that, it's good getting your legs underneath you again," Carmel coach Sarah Doyle said. "Not one of our kids went out of town over break. They had to fight and land their vaults. You could tell after floor that they were a little tired."

Carmel and Prairie Ridge battled down to the last rotation. Carmel went into its last event, vault, ahead 109.85-109.3. The Corsairs finished up with a 36.8, while the Wolves posted a 37 on bars.

"Prairie Ridge, Glenbrook South, New Trier and a lot of these other teams are going to be pretty strong (going forward)," Doyle said. "They demand a lot of their athletes and always come ready to go. You never count anybody out. We're just concentrating on where our gymnasts need to be, and we'll see where it takes us."

Carmel freshman Clare Keane chalked up top honors on the uneven bars with a career-best score of 9.7. Two of her teammates had outstanding bar routines. Lyndsey Basara placed third (9.6) and Izzy Kropiwiec was fifth (9.5).

"Coming in, my coaches told me to trust my skills," Keane said. "They said just go out and show what I got - one routine, get it and make the landing. I found my dismount landing and had really never stuck it before."

Keane also finished fourth on the balance beam (9.15) and sixth in the all-around (36). She's in her first year and has fit in well with her teammates.

"It's a little intimidating coming in with all the girls being so good," Keane said. "But the team has welcomed me so much. It's like a family."

Basara was runner-up in the all-around (37.5), just behind Gracie Wills of Prairie Ridge (37.75). Kropiwiec finished fourth (36.750).

Basara placed second on both vault (9.5) and floor (9.3) and tied for fifth with Lake Park's Julia Naronowicz on beam (9.1).

Kropiwiec placed second on beam (9.3) and fourth on vault (9.4)

Willis won beam (9.55) and floor (9.45). Her teammate Sydney Hallsten had the best vault score (9.6).

Wheaton-Warrenville South had three medalists. Jackie Kerth earned fourth place on bars with a career-best 9.55. Jill Horvatin placed third on beam (9.2), and Emily Burnham finished third on floor (9.2).

"I really wasn't expecting that score," Kerth said. "It's nice to see that with all the other scores. It gives you a nice boost looking ahead to regionals and sectionals."

Wheaton-Warrenville South, which advanced to state last season, is still competing without the injured Jamie LaBue. According to coach Maureen Kermend, LaBue is expected to return to competition in the next week.

"The girls are doing the skills. It's just a matter of putting things together," Kermend said. "We did get our season high, and we have more in the tank. We had a grind over the break (working in the gym). They were probably ready for the break to be done because they wanted to get back into a structure. It's a good place to be."