Night of special memories

The Palatine gymnasium was the scene of many things memorable Saturday night.

First, Warren girls gymnastics coach Carrie Parker got engaged during the break in the middle of the meet.

Parker said yes to Brian Stacy, who proposed using a sign in the balcony that read, "will you marry me?"

Then, Fremd gymnast Mary Burke captured first places in all four events to complement the IHSA state all-around championship she won during Friday's preliminary competition.

To cap off her truly memorable performance, Burke was named senior gymnast of year.

Burke's best score -- a state-record 9.9 -- came for a spectacular balance beam routine. Burke topped the record of 9.8 set by Conant's Allison Buckley in 2006.

Burke also had a 9.875 on vault, 9.85 on floor exercise and 9.75 on uneven parallel bars..

Fremd successfully defended its team crown, rolling up 150.85 points. The state title was the Vikings' 12th.

Stevenson earned second place for the second time in its history with a 147.875 to go with four state championship trophies from 2001-04.

"I knew they had the potential," said Stevenson coach Judy Harwood. "I really didn't expect them to be this strong, be so competitive and so consistent. They were so composed under pressure."

Warren (147.05) placed third for the second time to go with two second-place trophies.

Carmel placed fifth (145.55).

The Blue Devils' Kacie Holop hit a 9.725 to tie for second place on the floor exercise final with Naperville North's Sami Piotrwoski.

"I was actually pretty nervous," said Holop who had finished fifth in her freshman year. "It's always nerve-racking and it was the last time performing. I already knew we had the third-place trophy. I wanted to have my best routine. It was a great way to go out."

Warren's Kim Goltlund, who finished second in the all-around Friday, tied for fourth on vault in the finals with Palatine's Rachel Corcoran (9.675).

Gotlund also tied for seventh on bars with Stevenson's Stephanie Wojton (9.525) and was 10th on beam with an 8.925.

The Patriots' Chelsie Seplowin posted a fourth on beam (9.45). This came despite a slight scare in warmups when she fell off the beam and suffered a raspberry on the back of her leg

"It was amazing to see fourth and I was like I couldn't believe it," said Seplowin, who earned her first medal. "In warmups, I fell off and it left a nice mark. I landed and went down. I was really nervous. I had to regain my confidence and get right back up there. I had to get it out of my head completely.

"Warmups and competition are two completely different things."

The Patriots' Wojton placed fifth on beam 9.425.

Carmel's MaryAnn Oehlerking has been through a lot in the last couple of years with injury after injury. She finished her high school career with an impressive act of courage by tying for fifth on bars tied with Palatine's Rachel Corcoran (9.55).

"It's been a really hard year," Oehlerking said. "It's been my dream since freshman year to make it to the finals, especially on bars -- and I did the best I could do. Going through all my injuries, it's been hard to do. Bars has been the easiest to go through with all the lower body injuries. I had to work very hard."

Carmel's Amber Mirski finished 11th on floor 9.15 and 12th on bars 8.7.