Girls gymnastics: Vernon Hills duo shines in state all-around competition
Livy Tran was the only gymnast at state on Friday who has competed in the all-around the past three years.
Tran fell short of winning an all-around title, taking second to Downers Grove co-op’s Genevieve Herion, 38.075 to 37.8.
Tran’s teammate at Vernon Hills, sophomore Myra Brusso, was third in the all-around (37.425).
“Mya did very well, I’m so proud of her,” Tran said. “If you watch videos from her you’ll see me in the background. I jumped so high in the air for her. She’s like a cute little baby. I love her so much. I met her last year and we’ve become close friends and hang out all the time.”
Brusso is joining Tran in the individual finals Saturday on beam (9.6) and bars (9.4).
No one has hung around and competed at the state meet like Tran has since 2022.
She’ll look for her second vault title on Saturday. She won her lone title, on vault, as a freshman in 2022. Since that debut season, in which she helped Vernon Hills take second as team twice and fifth last year, she’s gone from 27th in the all-around to fourth in 2023 and seventh last year to now state champion.
“I definitely think it is a cool thing to see this stage four times,” she said. “I think going into freshman year, I had zero expectations and it was more of a team sport compared to club. The growth I’ve had from that day as a freshman. I was very young and nervous to be joining and today when I walked into the gym all the memories came back. A lot of memories and happy screams with my teammates.”
Tran has taken fifth the past two seasons on vault after her state championship. She’d love to snag another as the bookends to her high school career.
“I’m very excited to make it for vault,” she said. “It’s the same one. I’ve been pretty confident with it since freshman year and it’s been pretty consistent, I would say, score-wise. We’ll wait to see what tomorrow brings. I’m nervous but excited for one of my last days of gymnastics.”
Palatine junior Jolee Washington tied for sixth in the all-around with Prairie Ridge co-op’s Thea Scheuer (36.975). Washington also qualified on bars (9.375) and floor (9.425).
Scheuer returned to Prairie Ridge co-op after a two-year hiatus, having helped her team win a state title her freshman year. The return of coach Lee Battaglia was key to her return.
“He makes practice fun and has kind of been a friend and not just a coach,” she said. “He asks how you are doing and is helpful and then (coach) Lexi (Redmond) is amazing, too. She’s helped a lot with the process of coming back.”
Prairie Ridge co-op sophomore Bryleigh Cooper took eighth in the all-around (36.0). Sophomore Nora Terhaar advanced to the finals on vault (9.5) and bars (9.35).
Prairie Ridge co-op is in third place with 145.425 and within striking distance of Lincoln-Way co-op’s 145.55.
“We did really well,” Scheuer said. “I stuck beam which I was very excited for since I hadn’t stuck it all year. I’m proud of everyone. We did really good today.”
Downers Grove co-op’s 148.45 is mathematically the state champion, but will need to wait until Saturday’s done to make it official and perhaps add to its team total with seven chances to do so.
The last time a team won a state gymnastics title by three or more points was over 25 years ago when Fremd outscored runner-up Lyons, 150.325 to 146.575 in 1999.