Senior Ultimate gymnasts take top honors in Bourbonnais

Submitted by Jane Feely

Following the successes notched by the Level 6 and 7 teams at their recent state meet, the higher-level optional girls from Ultimate Gymnastics were not to be outdone.

The Level 8, 9 and 10 girls were in action in Bourbonnais just before Easter and they secured another eight state titles for the Gurnee-based gym, bringing the total so far this season to 19.

Topping the list of achievements with two state gold medals was Level 8’s Katie Schroeder, who won the balance beam title (9.70) and was first in the all-around (37.90) in the Senior C age group. The Grayslake native was also runner-up on vault.

Her Level 8 teammates were also on top of the medal podium, three of them with state titles on floor exercise: Emily Whitis (Senior A), Samantha Wahlers (Senior B) and Carli Betman (Senior D). Carli also took silver on both vault and beam and Emily placed third on vault.

In the Junior C age group at Level 8, Ella Peter won the beam title, scoring an impressive 9.75, and was second in the all-around and third on vault.

In the team competition, the senior girls placed second in the state, and when all age groups were combined, Ultimate finished fourth.

At Level 10, current IHSA all-around champion Lauren Feely continued her final season with a first-place finish on vault (9.775) in the Senior B age group. It’s the third year in a row that the Carmel senior has won gold on vault at the L10 state meet. She also took bronze in the all-around (37.95).

Competing in her first Level 10 state meet, Gurnee’s Emily Basara had an outstanding competition, placing in the top five on all events and in the all-around. She took bronze on both floor exercise and in the all-around in the Junior B age group.

Winthrop Harbor’s Lauren Marshall notched up her second highest all-around score of the season in what proved to be an extremely competitive Junior A age group.

The Level 10 girls placed fifth as a team, an impressive performance considering Ultimate’s three gymnasts were up against much larger teams from elsewhere in the state.

Ultimate’s Level 9 state title this year came from Lake Forest junior Brittany Moccia. Brittany, who missed a large portion of the high school season recovering from a broken finger, scored 9.50 to take the gold medal on balance beam in the Senior C age group.

The girls now move on to Regional competition. The Level 9 and 10 girls will be in action in Lansing, Mich., April 12-14, while the Level 8 girls travel to Bowling Green in Ohio for their meet April 19-21.

Scores for individual girls are as follows:

Level 8

Junior C age group: Ella Peter (Waukegan): Vault: 9.525 (3rd); Bars: 9.15; Beam: 9.75 (1st); Floor: 9.40 (7th); All-around: 37.825 (2nd).

Senior A age group: Emily Whitis (Lindenhurst): Vault: 9.55 (3rd); Bars: 8.80; Beam: 9.45 (4th); Floor: 9.80 (1st); All-around: 37.60 (5th).

Senior B age group: Samantha Wahlers (Round Lake Beach): Vault: 8.65; Bars: 8.875; Beam: 9.45 (4th); Floor: 9.775 (1st); All-around: 36.75 (10th).

Senior C age group: Katie Schroeder (Grayslake): Vault: 9.55 (2nd); Bars: 9.15 (8th); Beam: 9.70 (1st); Floor: 9.50 (5th); All-around: 37.90 (1st).

Senior D age group: Carli Betman (Northbrook): Vault: 9.65 (2nd); Bars: scratch; Beam: 9.35 (2nd); Floor: 9.575 (1st).

Hunter Bode (Lake Villa): Vault: 8.65; Bars: 7.90; Beam: 9.10 (6th); Floor: 9.375 (9th); All-around: 35.025.

Kyra McCue (Gurnee): Vault: 9.30 (4th); Bars: scratch; Beam: scratch; Floor: 9.425 (4th).

The Senior Division of the Level 8 team placed 2nd in the state while in the Combined age group, Ultimate was 4th.

Level 9

Senior B age group: Bailee Hardy (Grayslake): Vault: scratch; Bars: 8.65; Beam: scratch; Floor: scratch.

Senior C age group: Brittany Moccia (Lake Forest): Vault: 9.125 (5th); Bars: 8.70; Beam: 9.50 (1st); Floor: 9.00 (4th); All-around: 36.325 (4th).

Level 10

Junior A age group: Lauren Marshall (Winthrop Harbor): Vault: 9.20; Bars: 8.85; Beam: 9.30; Floor: 8.975; All-around: 36.325.

Junior B age group: Emily Basara (Gurnee): Vault: 9.35 (4th); Bars: 9.225 (4th); Beam: 9.25 (5th); Floor: 9.375 (3rd); All-around: 37.20 (3rd).

Senior B age group: Lauren Feely (Gurnee): Vault: 9.775 (1st); Bars: 9.325 (5th); Beam: 9.35; Floor: 9.50 (4th); All-around: 37.95 (3rd).

The Level 10 team placed fifth in the state in the Combined Age Group

Ÿ To submit Your news, send it to nbrcalendar@dailyherald.com with the subject “Your news.”