Lake Park captures regional crown
Lake Park started strong on the uneven parallel bars and sailed to a regional title during Tuesday night's Lake Park regional.
The Lancers scored 142.325 points, finishing comfortably in front of Wheaton Warrenville co-op's 139.15.
"Right off the bat we hit 4 out of 5 routines on bars which really good because sometimes that's our iffy event," said Lancers senior Paula Naronowicz. "I feel just by starting the meet strong and hitting my routine set the tone pretty good for the rest of the meet."
Naronowicz would win the all-around title with a 36.725 while also capturing top honors on vault with a 9.25 and floor with a 9.525.
"Floor has always been my favorite event and I do skills that I can hit most of the time," she said. "I feel that I can finish off the meet really strong and I know I can support my team the best I can. I feel confident I can hit, and the environment with everyone cheering for you, and the amount of energy. I just love floor."
Sophomore Julia Bartnik finished second to Naronowicz in the all-around with a 35.625 while winning beam with a 9.225.
"I try to take all the pressure off of beam by focusing on what I'm doing and taking one step at a time," Bartnik said. "I just try to have fun with it like I do on all the other events. I don't know; it just works for me."
A lot was working for the Lancers.
Sophomore Cali Keefe followed Bartnik in the all-around with a 35.175 which included a second-place finish on bars with an 8.8. Alyssa Mizza contributed an 8.65 vault while fellow senior Annabelle Jung was fourth on bars with an 8.75, fifth on floor with a 9.05 and added to the team's beam score.
"We've been working so hard all season and it especially paid off this meet," Bartnik said. "Everyone did great. I'm really happy for all of us. I didn't even care how I did individually as long as the team did good."
It may have been Bartnik's first postseason experience, but she performed like she's been on the award stand plenty of times already.
"These people are my best friends and we've built a bond like sisters," she said. "I've never bonded with people like this. It was so much fun to see everyone's success today, so amazing to see everyone at their best."
Wheaton Warrenville co-op Ashley Huang was best on bars, winning with a 9.075. Unfortunately she needed crutches to go to the award stand after suffering a knee injury during her floor routine. Huang also took third on beam with an 8.625.
"We're kind of where we expected to be for tonight," Wheaton Warrenville co-op coach Maureen Kermend said. "Floor was going pretty well, our bars looked a lot better, we had stumbled a bit on beam and we're still working some kinks out on vault, and you always want to get the strongest routines as possible."
Sophomore Haylie Hinckley and senior Maleah Crowley finished in fourth and fifth respectively, in the all-around with a 35.1 and 34.2, for the co-op.
Crowley took fourth place on floor while Hinckley soared to fifth on bars with an 8.7 while taking second on floor with a 9.35 and vault with a 9.15.
She found a way to stay focused and compete despite following Huang on floor.
"I was really upset for Ashley, but I wanted to finish strong for her and keep our team going," Hinckley said. "I was happy with the landing and everything. And I was really happy with my vault, which I thought was very good even if the scores didn't reflect it. I thought it was one of my better ones."
Addison Trail took third place with a 124.9 and U-46 co-op scored a 123.15.
Junior Maddie Muccianti was sixth in the all-around for the Blazers with a 33.35. U-46 sophomore Brynn Kerber was sixth on the vault with an 8.8.