Prospect beaming after big regional finish
The Prospect girls gymnastics team was a bit shaky to open the Conant regional, but the Knights put the pieces together at the end.
Prospect was trailing host Conant after two events Wednesday, but the Knights didn’t flinch, especially on beam as they came from behind to take the regional title with 141.825 points in Hoffman Estates.
Prospect advances to the Lake Park sectional at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Roselle.
Conant (138.475 points) took second and is a good bet to advance as an at-large team to the sectional. Wheeling (119.725 points) and Hoffman Estates (118.475 points) rounded out the four-team field.
“Halfway through the meet, everyone knew Conant was winning,” said Prospect coach Randy Smith. “We needed the beam.”
Senior Lauren Johnson (9.4) and sophomore Gianna Scala (9.325) responded by going 1-2 on beam.
“We started off kind of slow, but we were able to pull it back together,” said Johnson who added a second-place finish in the all-around (36.65) and floor (9.175), along with fourth-place finishes on bars (8.95) and vault (9.125). “I was trying to stay focused and stay tight.”
Scala took first on the vault (9.375), third in the all-around (36.425) and had fifth-place finishes on bars (8.9) and floor (8.825).
Scala took first at the Mid-Surburban League meet on the floor (9.775), bit sje had a fall on her first pass Wednesday night. The Knights sophomore kept her poise and finished her series strong.
“I guess I had a little bit too much power,” said Scala of her opening pass. “I knew I needed to pull it together to have a chance to advance.”
Freshman Maddie Larock (8.425) and sophomore Jackie Difonzo (8.375) bolstered the Knights on beam by finishing 4-5. And junior Meggie Kanie came up big on floor (8.85) with a fourth-place finish.
Bri Bibel led Conant by taking first in the all-around (37.15). The sophomore also took first on floor (9.325), tied for first on bars (9.275), took second on the vault (9.35) and added a third-place finish on beam (9.2) in an impressive night.
Bibel has been nursing a back injury all season but had her second consecutive strong outing. She took third in the all-around at last week’s MSL meet.
“We’ve been playing it safe with her all season,” said Conant coach Lorel Cunningham. “We were hoping this would happen, that she would peak at the right time.”
“I’m feeling really confident,” said Bibel. “I’ve been working hard and looking at things I can fix. Everything is just coming together.”
Sophomore Meicie Bennett (34.85) and junior Sarah Starzynski (34.825) propelled Conant’s fast start and finished 4-5 in the all-around.
Bennett tied for first on bars (9.275) and took third on the floor (8.9), with Starzynski taking third on vault (9.3) and bars (9.10).
Wheeling sophomore Becca Mangino led the Wildcats by taking eighth on beam (7.9) and seventh on floor (8.375).
Hoffman Estates freshman Jasminka Sabic took seventh on vault (8.6).