Mundelein, Libertyville's Becker shine at regional
Anna Becker of Libertyville landed in the top spot in the all-around and earned first-place honors on beam Wednesday night while Mundelein chalked up top team honors, winning the Libertyville girls gymnastics regional and setting a school record with 145.8 points.
Stevenson placed second with 142.2 followed by host Libertyville (136.275) and Highland Park (128.35).
The Wildcats' freshman Becker had a 36.9 in the all-around and posted a 9.475 on the balance beam.
"I thought my series was really on, I was straight and stuck all my skills," Becker said. "Honestly, I try not to be nervous, because when I'm nervous my nerves get the best of me and I shake a lot. I was taking deep breaths and focused on my skills."
She also placed third on bars (9.15) and fourth on vault (9.325).
Mundelein picked a good time for its highest mark this season and has sights for the sectional which the Mustangs host next Thursday and state at Palatine in a couple of weeks.
"It might be an all-time high for Mundelein gymnastics I imagine," Mundelein coach Jesse Piland said. "It's the same thing we've been saying for months and months. Everybody just has to hit their routines. Tonight, for the most part, all of our girls hit their routines. When we do, we can do this and we can hang with the best teams. I'm really proud of what the girls did here."
The Mustangs' strongest event was the beam, on which they were able to hit routine after routine.
"Everybody falls on beam except for us," Piland said. "We're better at beam than most events compared to other teams. When we have a good cushion and a decent lead, when we go to beam least. We know that it will be hard to catch us at that point."
Emma Hallin and Amanda Muench each tied in the all-around with 36.6 leading the Mustangs. Freshman Emily Weiss was fifth with 36.225.
Muench was second on beam (9.3), Elle Mishler and Weiss tied for third (9.2) and Hallin landed second on vault (9.4). Muench chalked up first on bars (9.2) and Audrey Kafka fourth (8.975). Hallin placed second on floor (9.3), Weiss was fourth (9.175) and Kafka fifth (9.175).
"My best event was the vault," Hallin said. "I did a Yurchenko pike. I had a good landing and I had a lot of height with it."
Stevenson, with one regional remaining, is the top at-large team with a good chance to make next week's sectional.
The Patriots' Emily Weinstein was second on the bars (9.2) and fifth on vault (9.3). Emma Fang also qualified fifth on bars (8.925), Ally Gitler finished third on floor (9.225). Freshman Ashley Schabes landed third on vault with a 9.35 by hitting a Yurchenko pike.
"It was definitely a little nervous for me at the beginning, but I had to pick things up for my team and it made me feel better," Schabes said. "I've been working on my vault really hard this season and have been getting better. I just got a lot of power in it."
Highland Park's Becca Gordon finished with the top vault 9.425, top spot on the floor (9.32), fifth on beam (9.125) and fourth in the all-around (36.4).