Scouting girls gymnastics in the Northwest suburbs
Top returning teams: Fremd, Barrington, Conant, Palatine
Top gymnasts: Barrington - Ella Marquis (Soph.), Jade Moranetz (Sr.), Sofia Rosenzweig (Soph.), Buffalo Grove - Leah Oyen (Jr.), Conant - Danielle Smith (Sr.), Sofia Presta (Soph.), Elk Grove - Adrienne Vergara (Fr.), Fremd - Cate Banzen (Jr.), Abby Gallicho (Soph), Ella Gray (Jr.), Kacey Tokunaga (Soph.), Hersey - Emma Hupp (Jr.), Hoffman Estates - Elyssa Wuerffel (Jr.), Sol Serratos (Jr.), Maine South - Bridget Pistorius (Jr.), Palatine - Alyssa Eckels (Sr.), Elly Nilsen (Sr), Jocie Waddington (Jr.), Prospect - Marina Andreic (Sr.), Olivia Tader (Sr.), Rolling Meadows - Melina Moreno (Jr.), Schaumburg - Alexis Rothmeyer (Jr.).
Season outlook: With a shortened season and many gymnasts heading into the practice gym for the first time in months, it certainly won't be the same type of competition that many are used to. The focus for most teams will be camaraderie and improvement while bringing the competitors along slowly to avoid injuries.
"This is going to be a tough year for us," Hoffman Estates coach Dave Calisch said. "So, we are going to find our success in the gym more so than the outcomes of competition."
Fremd, the defending Mid-Suburban League champion, along with Barrington, Conant and Palatine, should be considered the top teams along with Maine South from the Central Suburban League.