Waubonsie/Metea wins again
When you see the Waubonsie Valley/Metea Valley co-op girls gymnastics team in action, you generally don’t have to look far to find Neuqua Valley.
That’s because the top two seeded teams in the Neuqua Valley regional squared off against each other for the seventh time of this season Tuesday night.
In the most important meet so far this year for both schools, Waubonsie/Metea beat the Wildcats for the sixth time, 141.675 to 135.125. Homewood-Flossmoor followed with a 126.8, and Downers Grove North posted a 120.3.
“They’re just really good and that’s something we can’t do anything about,” Neuqua Valley freshman Emily Jacobs said. “I still think we did really well and it’s fun competing against a team that will get you to train harder and want to be better.”
Neuqua Valley’s lone victory against Waubonsie/Metea came at the Lincoln-Way Invite on Jan. 7 when the loser’s all-arounders had an off meet and specialist Jess Malon didn’t compete.
That definitely wasn’t the case here. Elizabeth Brandenburg and Maddie Strick finished 1-2 in the all-around to lead Waubonsie/Metea while Malon took second place on floor, bars and beam.
“Beam was the key for us today,” Waubonsie/Metea coach Nicole Daly said. “We had been a little shaky on it the last few meets. They pulled it together and it gave us momentum going into floor.”
Strick averaged a 9 on all four events for the first time in high school.
“Sometimes you think of the last time you (competed) and how you can get better,” Strick said about her 34.8 at Saturday’s UEC meet. “I was so glad that I hit on beam because that was one of my best beam routines. I guess my bars was OK, but I could’ve done better, but I still got first, so hey, it was good.”
Brandenburg won floor, vault and beam. Strick and Malon were part of a four-way tie for second on beam with an 8.85 as it proved to be a big event for the winners.
“We’re connecting those series that we’ve been missing in the past,” Daly said. “That was what got us really excited today.”
Sophomore Alexa Puccio offered an important third all-around score with a 33.375 as Waubonsie/Metea once again outscored the Wildcats.
“It’s a rivalry, but it’s really just both sides rooting for each other,” Neuqua Valley coach Joann Pschigoda said. “Half our girls work out with them so it’s both teams cheering for each other and wanting them to do well.”
Neuqua Valley remains alive for one of the two at-large team qualifiers for sectionals. For now, though, four individuals from the school can breath a sigh of relief.
Jacobs led the way for the Wildcats taking third in the all-around with a 34.725 while senior Riley Wypiszenski just made it in, snagging fifth with a 34.325.
“I was really nervous when they were calling the winners,” Wypiszenski said. “I fell on beam and just wanted to get in and be able to relax for the rest of the week.”
As for Jacobs, she handled the pressure of her postseason debut with the poise of a veteran.
“We had a really good practice on Monday and our team was really pumped for this meet,” she said. “I pretty much competed like I’ve been practicing. There were some things that went like I wanted them to and others I’ll try to fix by sectionals.”