Barrington eyes special season
The Barrington gymnastics room was a hive of activity the day before the season opener. The Fillies gymnasts were spread out perfecting their skills in what they hope will be a special season.
Barrington has not qualified as a team for the girls state gymnastics meet since 2003, but the Fillies enter the season with high expectations.
Senior Lexi Marsella, and juniors Hannah Heider, Tiffany Persels, Tori Brunet and Merissa Krzysko make up the core of the Fillies team that combines experience, talent and a bit of special motivation.
Last year injuries and an extra-tough sectional bracket derailed Barrington’s state drive at the Stevenson regional.
This year the Fillies are hoping to put it all together.
“This group this year is probably the toughest, and probably better than the last time we went to state,” said Barrington coach Jason Loeffler. “The talent that these kids hold, it’s just putting it all together and having them hit on the same day.”
It starts with Marsella, a talented senior who qualified to state on the vault as a sophomore, before seeing her state aspirations wiped out last year with a broken ankle suffered three days before sectionals.
Marsella seemed to be making a breakthrough at the right time last year, finishing third in the all-around (36.825) at the Stevenson regional, taking second on the beam (9.4) and fourth on both the floor (9.3) and vault (9.3). But the ankle injury erased her chance at postseason glory.
This year Marsella has turned a bad break into a driving force.
“It was a huge disappointment,” said Marsella of the injury. “But now looking back the injury was probably my best friend. Sitting there at sectionals and state, and just watching. I was like, ‘I should be there, that’s my spot right there.’
“This year that is my goal, I will not stop until I get it. That is what is driving me right now.”
Marsella has also grown as a leader and was selected captain by her teammates this season.
As a sophomore Marsella had her own agenda, which didn’t always jive with her coach.
“Sophomore year I was going to do my own thing, this is what I’m going to do and no coach is going to tell me differently,” added Marsella.
But starting with her junior year, Marsella impressed Loeffler with her new attitude.
“Each year she grows so much as an individual, and this year she is so driven,” added Loeffler. “She sees the light at the end of the tunnel. She’s been here three years and she knows what it takes.”
And her teammates are feeding off her positive energy.
“She has been a great influence and great role model,” added Heider, “She’s been very supportive and is a great team captain.”
Marsella, despite being slowed by a sprained left ankle, took 10th in the all-around at the Mid-Suburban League meet last year and finished second on the floor (9.525).
The Barrington senior enters this season as one of the top all-arounders in the MSL, but for Marsella it is more about the team.
“This year I’m thinking less about myself and more about the team,” added Marsella, “I’m looking at this team and I know we can do it, I just want to help lead and get us there.”
Marsella will have plenty of help.
Heider qualified for state on the vault last season and returns as one of the Fillies top gymnasts.
Krzysko had a solid junior season and keeps improving, while Brunet is hoping to rebound from series of injuries last season to push the Fillies this season.
Barrington did have one early setback when Persels suffered an elbow injury on the first day of practice.
Last year Persels finished fifth in the all-around (35.10) at the Stevenson regional, taking second on the vault (9.45), third on the floor (9.375), and fifth on the bars (8.850).
The junior is hoping to be released for action in three weeks, and if she is pain-free will add to the Fillies assault.
And while the talent is definitely there, it is the chemistry that could make this team dangerous.
“We’re just pushing ourselves a lot harder, we didn’t have that positive energy last season,” added Brunet.
“We’ve known each other for a bunch of years, we’re just a really close team,” said Persels.
In the middle of the Barrington gym, hanging on a wall is a poster listing the Fillies’ goals. At the bottom of the list in bold print is the word “state.”
Barrington has qualified for the state meet seven times and won the title in 2000.
This year, the Fillies squad is targeting a return.
“We are more of a team this year and we have so much talent,” said Krzysko.
“We all have the talent and we can definitely make it there, we’re just looking to work together,” added Heider.
The pieces are there. Now the Fillies are looking to put them together.