Girls gymnastics: Prospect celebrates Senior Night by clinching MSL East title
It was the trifecta for the Prospect girls gymnastics team Thursday in Mt. Prospect.
It was Senior Night for the Knights, who then went on to score a season-best 143.40 to beat Rolling Meadows, which scored a 134.30. The win gave Prospect the Mid-Suburban East regular-season title.
"It is a great feeling and the girls deserve it," Prospect coach Monica Donner said. "Senior Night and we had a phenomenal meet. Every event we hit. We have worked hard and it showed."
Although it was Senior Night, it was a freshman who led the way for Prospect.
Emily Gianfrancesco scored a career-best 37.05 to win the all-around. Her 9.50 on the vault also was the top score on that event and she also scored a 9.50 on the beam.
"The whole team did real well tonight," Gianfrancesco said. "It has been little difficult adjusting to the equipment for high school. But everyone has done it and I am doing well."
Prospect seniors Marina Andic and Olivia Tader also stepped up big.
Andic won the beam with a 9.50 and the floor with a 9.30.
"It was a really good night with some really good scores," Andic said. "But I am really sad that this is my last home meet. I didn't think we would get to compete at all, but I am so happy we did."
Tader had the top score on the bars with a 9.10 and she scored a 9.25 on the vault.
"It was so much fun tonight," Tader said. "It was really great to be with my team one last time in the place I have been for four years. We have been working really hard this year to achieve our high score."
The Knights also got strong performances from Anika Knipple, Anya Soriano and Catherine Grabowy.
Rolling Meadows has been on the rise, despite being without Melina Moreno, who injured her ankle in the first week of the season.
The Mustangs did get a nice performance from Caitlin Widawski, who had a 35.75 in the all-around. Brooklyn Hextall scored a 34.25, Roula Zervos a 33.30 and Amanda Marcucci had a 31.00.
"We did better than last week and we are getting progressively better," Rolling Meadows coach Michael Costa said. "We are moving in the right direction."
Costa said he is happy how far his team has come in the shortened season.
" You have to remember that many of these kids weren't training," Costa said. "We have had only four weeks of training, so kudos to the kids for getting to where we are at."