Carmel Catholic snares sectional crown

Lyndsey Basara of Carmel Catholic didn't have one of her best bar routines and had to recover with her ability and confidence on her next event, the balance beam.

The junior pulled it all together, taking the top spot with Glenbrook South's Sheena Graham with a 9.45. Then, Basara followed up with the same score on the floor exercise for the runner-up spot behind teammate Isabella Kropiwiec (9.525).

"My coach gave me a really great talk, reminded me that champions get back on beam or get back on floor," Basara said. "It really tells you what you're made of and my team was really able to help me with that. I told myself this is for the team, for me and for my school. I had so much confidence from the beam and I took it to the floor and obviously didn't want to think about bars at all. Just wanted to take that momentum from beam to floor."

Carmel went on to win the sectional championship with a team score of 145.975 and advanced to the state meet at Palatine High School next weekend.

Mundelein posted a 145.25 and will also advance to state for the first time as an at-large team. New Trier finished third (143.4) and made it as the last at-large team. Glenbrook South was fourth (142.6), Lake Forest fifth (140.55) and Stevenson sixth (140.45) in the Mundelein girls gymnastics sectional on Thursday night in Mundelein.

Carmel, Mundelein and New Trier will join Prairie Ridge (149.325), Lake Zurich (148.275), Glenbard East (145.075), Downers Grove South (144.075) and Fremd (143.975) in the state meet.

The Corsairs had to work extra hard over their last two events on beam and floor to win the sectional title.

"We had some bumps in the road and I told the girls champions are made after things don't go right, and how will we come back after bars," Carmel coach Sarah Mikrut Doyle said. "What we did on beam and floor was beautiful. It's what they can do. What Lyndsey can come back from as one of the best all-aronders in the state. To come back and win beam, she did that for us. That's the definition of team for me."

Kropiwiec took the second spot in the all-around (37.65) behind Graham (37.8). Carmel's Clare Keane was third (36.975). Keane chalked up top honors on the bars (9.55) and Kropiwiec was third (9.325). Kropiwiec also tied for first on vault with Highland Park's Becca Gordon (9.65). Carmel's Amanda Hamann finished fifth on beam (9.2).

Mundelein will be making history next week taking a team to state for the first time. It's been a long time coming and building for this moment.

"All the days, all the time, all the tears, all the pain, all the anxiety, all of it is worth it," Mundelein coach Jesse Piland said. "A huge shoutout to coaches that have grinded at Mundelein High School for years and years to create this program. Nancy Toland, Tracey Carlson, Jamie Brongiel who was my predecessor. We finally built something that we can be proud of. Not the individuals, but a whole team with athletes that have done something special."

The Mustangs' Emma Hallin placed fifth in the all-around (36.675), tied for fifth on the vault with Libertyville's Anna Becker (9.425), and fourth on floor (9.3). Amanda Muensch also finished third on beam (9.35).

The Wildcats' Becker was fourth in the all-around (36.925).

Stevenson's Emily Weinstein placed fourth on bars (9.3) ahead of Kristen Fisch fifth (9.275). Fisch also was fourth on vault (9.5). Gordon was fifth on floor (9.275).