Girls gymnastics: Hersey dominates field at MSL meet
The 12-team field of girls gymnastics teams had high hopes heading into the 2024 Mid-Suburban League meet Saturday morning at Prospect.
But there was absolutely no stopping the power and depth of Hersey's squad as the Huskies rolled to their second MSL championship in three years with 142.9 points.
The battle for the second-place plaque proved to be the most compelling storyline of the day as Fremd (135.85 points) was barely able to hold off crosstown rival Palatine (135.55 points), and fourth-place Conant (135.35 points) for runner-up honors. The host Knights (130.95) edged injury-plagued Barrington (130.8) for fifth place.
Palatine sophomore Jolee Waddington (season-high 37.6 points) took home the all-around title with a 9.40 average to nip second-place finisher Sabrina Nemcek of Hersey (37.2 points).
Nemcek's scoring was bolstered by all-around teammates Gianna Mazzola (35.2) in third place, and Grace Johnson (35.45) in fourth to help the Huskies cruise to the crown.
Hersey's program has definitely been on the upswing since it qualified for the first Elite Eight state meet in school history last year. Heading into Saturday, the Huskies' season-high score of 143.5 points was the third highest in the state so far this season so Hersey coach Shannon Barrett's team has some big goals when the IHSA state series begins in two weeks.
"We need to hit four for four and they're not hitting four for four," said Barrett, whose team scored 35.25 points on floor. "They're still nervous, and if we can stay on that beam we can go far and we can win the state hopefully."
Barrington's Nika Patel placed fifth in the all-around with 35.35 points followed by Schaumburg's Amy Carhee and Barrington's Aybree Sanchez who tied for sixth with 35 points each. Fremd's Annika Persky (34.4 points) placed eight overall while teammate Julia White and Conant's Ally Zhelyazkov (34 points) tied for ninth.
"Coming in we were not ranked second place (in MSL), but the girls have been working hard all season and we hit for the most part," said Fremd coach Kacey Kronforst. "The girls looked more confident and more conditioned today. And we just need to keep working and improving."
Waddington won uneven bars with a 9.45 while Nemcek took first place on vault (9.85) and floor (9.55). Mazzola (9.4) was the balance beam champion.
"My best event was probably bars, it was my last event, and having all my teammates there to support me was the best thing," said Waddington, who added a second-place 9.5 on floor. "It was a really great experience (last year at state) getting to know like the judges and how they score. This year I'm hoping to be better than I was last year and make it to day two."
Abby Wilger (9.1) was Conant's top finisher in fifth place on floor as the Cougars will begin to gear up for regionals in two weeks.
"I think we started a little nervous on floor, and we looked shaky throughout the day," said Conant coach Anthony Avella. "We're hosting Fremd (at regionals) in two weeks and it's going to be super-close so I'm excited for that one."
Waddington and Sanchez (9.55) tied for second place on vault while Nemcek posted a second-place 9.15 on uneven bars. Sanchez (9.2) also placed second on balance beam.
"We started on beam and that was the one that got us going and got us fired up," said Palatine coach Terry Theobald, who also coached Waddington's mom and older sister. "She (Waddington) had season-highs on bars and vault, and she's the third kid in the family I've coached."