Girls gymnastics: Nemcek, Hersey shine on opening day at state

Sabrina Nemcek literally vaulted to the top Friday at the girls state gymnastics finals at Palatine.

Nemcek successfully landed a Yurchenko full and was awarded a 9.725. That gave Nemcek a score of 37.80 to win the all-around title.

Nemcek had just enough to push past Palatine’s Jolee Waddington and Vernon Hills’ Annika Chudy, who tied for second with a 37.75.

“I knew I had a good chance of winning even when I fell on the beam ” said Nemcek, who was sixth in the state last year in the all-around. “I had to push through it. I am so proud of myself because I did that and I won.”

Nemcek had her back to ether wall throughout the meet. She fell in the beam during the second rotation. Then on her first vault, she landed on her feet on a Yurchenko layout, but took three steps.

But Nemcek knew that she still had enough left to get the finish she needed.

“I knew when I fell on the beam, there was still a lot left in the meet,” Nemcek said. “I had to get up and get going. Then on the vault, I knew I had to pull though more and keep my composure. I knew I could do the full with ease.

Nemcek, along with Gianna Mazzola, Jenna Lazzara, Jane Forsberg, Grace Johnson, Jessica Getz and Evelyn Gradek, were trailing the Downers Grove co-op. Downers co-op had already completed the meet and Hersey trailed by 36.4 points.

The Huskies then were able to score a 37.35 on the vault to finish with a 145.90. That is a full point ahead of Downers Grove co-op, which finished the Friday’s action with a 144.90.

“Vault is one of our best event,” Hersey coach Shannon Barrett said. “It is our secret weapon. We ended up on the vault. We were kind of behind. But I also knew that if we hit people would say ‘Hersey who?’ Because we have not had a meet like this all season.”

Both teams will have an opportunity to improve their score during Saturday’s individual finals. Hersey will have five individual performances while Downers South will have six. Team points increase if the individual finalist is able to increase their score Saturday from their qualifying score on Friday.

If Hersey can hang on, the prophetic statement that Barrett had put on the back of her team’s shirts will come true: “The best is yet to come.”

“I had that made because we had not hit yet,” Barrett said. “And today we hit pretty well. We had only two falls and we have been counting a lot more than that. I am really proud of our team. They focused. They brought the hype.”

Downers, which won the state title last year, will be hoping they can overcome Hersey on Saturday. The Trostangs, led by Allison Palansky, Elli Kuchta, Kaelyn Landry, Edith Condon, Genevieve Herion and Madison Piotrowski, look to improve on their performance from Friday.

“I think with the pressure and expectation we were feeling from everyone, I think we still handled it well,” Downers coach Kristyn Campos said. “We did have more mistakes than we are used to. But, they did what we needed to do. They just tried to stay calm.”

Wheaton co-op is currently third with 144.55. They are followed by Lake Park, which scored a 144.075, Vernon Hills’ 143.725, Glenbrook North’s 142.20, New Trier’s 140.15 and Lake Zurich’s 137.55.

Chudy finished second in the all-around for the second consecutive year. The senior, who had a fall on the beam on Friday, also had a fall on the bars last year that held her back from the title.

“It is just a bit frustrating,” said Chudy, who will still contest for the bars and floor title in the individual championships on Saturday.

“I knew I had to stay on the beam and I just didn't do that.”

Waddington, who is sophomore, had her best meet of the season. She was will be in the individual finals in three events.

“I still have a lot to improve on,” Waddington said. “I am little disappointed that I am not competing in the beam. It is my favorite event. I fell at the sectionals but I made up for it today.”

Waddington followed in the footsteps of her sister Jocie and mother Jodi Forsberg. Palatine coach Terry Theobald said he coached all three of them.

“They all are up on our top 10 board on the wall,” Theobald said. “Everyone of them were completely different.”

Wheaton’s Haylie Hinckley was fourth with a 37.625. Herion was fifth with a 37.15, and Lake Park’s Julia Bartnik was sixth with a 37.00.

Vernon Hills’ Livy Tran was seventh with a 36.95, Condon eighth with a 36.925, Oswego’s Ava Sullivan ninth with a 36.825 and Glenbrook South’s Allie Mietus was 10th with a 36.75.