Scouting DuPage County girls gymnastics
Top teams: Glenbard North, Glenbard West, Lake Park, Naperville North.
Top returning individuals: Sarah Andrew (Sr., Glenbard West, all-around), Marissa Bosco (Glenbard North, Jr., all-around), Caitlin Cavoto (Naperville North, Sr., all-around), Megan Court (Glenbard North, Sr., all-around), Amber Fox (Glenbard North, So., all-around), Allie Hetrick (Wheaton Co-op, So., all-around), Dana Matesi (Lake Park, Sr., floor and beam), Megan McLerran (Naperville North, Jr., all-around), Catherine Miller (Neuqua Valley, So., all-around), Ashley Nelson (Lake Park, So., all-around), Cassidy Peterson (Wheaton Warrenville South, Jr., all-around), Andrea Petruniak (Glenbard East, Sr., all-around), Sami Piotrowski (Naperville North, Sr., all-around), Katie Rosch (Glenbard West, Sr., all-around), Stacy Rosch (So., all-around), Allison Sackett (Glenbard West, Sr., all-around) Jeni Scahill (Willowbrook, Jr., all-around), Jackie Stefani (York, Sr., all-around), Rebecca Stephan (Sr., Glenbard West, all-around), Christina Tardy (Naperville Central, Sr., all-around), Sarah Udelhofen (Glenbard West, So., all-around), Cassy Waldman (Waubonsie Valley, Sr., all-around), Amy Wolf (Glenbard North, Jr., vault, floor, bars).
Top meets: Hersey Invite, Dec. 8; Hinsdale Central Invite, Dec. 12; Palatine Invite, Dec. 15; Oswego Invite, Dec. 28; Naperville North Invite, Jan. 5, Neuqua Valley Invite, Jan. 12; York Invite, Jan. 19; DuPage Valley Conference, Jan. 25; Upstate Eight Conference, Jan. 25; Independent, Jan. 26; West Suburban Silver, Jan. 26.
Outlook: A combination of strong newcomers and key returnees has four area teams looking among the elite this winter. Glenbard North, Glenbard West, Lake Park and Naperville North all have a very good chance of having excellent seasons and earning a chance to be one of the eight teams that will compete for a state championship.
Some of the perennial powers were hurt with graduating gymnasts, which could present a more advantageous opportunity for these four programs. The Panthers will be vying for a second consecutive state appearance and with five key returnees, and the promise of freshman Christina Rini, they should contend for a championship as long as they can avoid major injuries.
Glenbard West has been consistent in recent years and with four seniors and others returning, along with the addition of standouts Courtney Gonzalez, Becky Mladucky and two others, the Hilltoppers look poised to do more than advance to the sectionals for the sixth consecutive year.
"We've got 10 all-arounders so depth is not a problem," Hilltoppers coach Carlos Fuentes said. "We have a lot of varsity experience and they're hard workers. We have a chance to go against the top teams in the state and we should match up favorably."
Naperville North should be strong with Piotrowski leading the way and McLerran and Cavoto returning with newcomers Tanaka and Carolyn Falarski.
"We're very optimistic with this season," Huskies coach Chris Stanicek said. "It just takes the new kids being able to jell with the older kids. I like what I've seen so far and our goal is to get the team to state."
Balance and depth will help Lake Park. The Lancers top gymnasts will be a pair of underclassmen, Nelson and Millikan.
"We believe we will contend for a spot at the state meet as a team, considering teams in our sectional, such as Palatine and Conant, suffered substantial losses due to graduation, as did other traditional state powers around the state," Lake Park coach Keith Matune said.
Naperville Central lost a lot of key gymnasts to graduation, and Neuqua Valley's Bailey Prosser and Krista Stillson chose not to join the team for their senior season. Many of the newcomers this season are Level 9 and Level 10 gymnasts who could make a splash in the state competition this winter as individuals and in helping their teams rise toward the top, if they remain healthy.
-- Chris Walker