Girls Gymnastics: Gymnasts use Central Suburban meets as regional tuneup
BY DAN SHALIN Contributor January 30, 2012 5:04PM
1/27/2012 Evanston Niles West's Kelly Sanks competes on the uneven bars during the CSL South Division Varsity Conference Championships at Evanston High School on Friday, January 27, 2012. | michael jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:32AM
For the first time in weeks, Niles West was near full-strength at Friday’s CSL South meet in Evanston.
Though talented freshman Catherine Steegmueller and senior Jenny Marin were not 100-percent healthy, their presence was a boost to the Wolves, who scored 132.25 and finished third behind New Trier (142.95) and Maine South (136.025) and ahead of Glenbrook South (128.5).
“I was hoping to be a little closer to (Maine South), but with the injuries we’ve had . . . at least the girls are competing again,” Niles West’s first-year head coach Susan Arcus said.
Steegmueller turned in a solid performance, despite having returned to practice only a few days earlier. She had been out for two weeks with a bone bruise. The rookie finished eighth in the all-around (33.3), which included a sixth-place finish on bars (8.25).
Marin placed ninth in the all-around (33.05) despite competing in all four events for the first time in three weeks due to an ankle sprain. Marin also came in eighth on floor (8.45).
Niles West senior Kelly Sanks was 11th in the all-around (32.7), taking ninth on beam (8.45).
Niles West will compete in the New Trier Regional at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Arcus said her team has a slim chance of earning an at-large bid to the Feb. 9 Niles North Sectional. She is, however, hoping to see several individuals advance.
“We’re as healthy as we’ve been and it’s a good time for us to be,” the coach said. “I don’t think as a team our score is going to be high enough to advance. If we have a great day maybe we can be close to 135, and that would be fantastic. I think it’s more trying to get all six ladies on our varsity to the sectionals.”
Arcus said she also is hoping her team will beat its previous best of the season, 132.0.
Niles North
The Vikings finished fourth (124.38) at Saturday’s CSL North Meet behind Deerfield, Glenbrook North and Maine West.
Niles North’s top event was vault, where junior Elana Rusnak finished fourth (8.9) and senior Brittany Ebeling was fifth (8.8). Other strong scores came from junior Chinoso Ukeje (8.35), junior Lilly Wong (8.1) and senior Katie Karlin (8.05).
Sophomore Nicole Hawel was her team’s top performer on beam (7.325) and Ukeje led the Vikings on floor (8.3). The talented Ebeling took ninth in the all-around (31.875).
The Vikings were scheduled to compete in Wednesday’s Stevenson Regional and host the sectional on Feb. 9. Vikings head coach Charlie Friedman said she hopes the home team will be represented.
“I’d like to see Brittany (Ebeling) go through (to sectional),” the coach said. “Despite her performance (at regional), she could go, (Rusnak) has a chance on floor or vault, (Wong) is a possibility on beam. I’d like to get some of them through. But I know Brittany could go and I hope it works out for her. That would be an awesome way to end her career.”
Maine East
With a team decimated by injuries, Maine East had just four gymnasts available for Saturday’s CSL North Meet in Deerfield. Two of the Blue Demons were recently called up from the freshman team.
The Blue Demons scored 100.35.
Senior Tori Walley placed ninth on vault (8.55) and scored 7.625 on floor, though she was not yet doing her full routine after injuring her ankle. Sophomore Alyssa Benjamin scored 7.5 on vault. Freshmen Andrea Lela and Aorinia Abram also participated.
The Blue Demons were scheduled to compete at Wednesday’s Stevenson Regional and head coach Amanda Harrison was hoping Walley could qualify for her first sectional.
“(Walley) counted two falls on beam at conference and scored a 7.0,” the coach said. “If you take away those falls, that is a sectional-qualifying beam routine. If she has a flawless beam routine, she can go to sectional.”
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