Girls Gymnastics: Naperville North wins regional title
BY CHRIS WALKER For Sun-Times Media January 29, 2013 10:32PM
Naperville North's Michaela Robert competes on the uneven bars during the Neuqua Valley Regional Tuesday. | Mike Mantucca ~ For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 2, 2013 6:34AM
Naperville North is on a roll.
A few days after winning the DuPage Valley Conference, the Huskies were back at it again in Tuesday’s Neuqua Valley regional.
Riding the momentum of Saturday’s DVC win, the Huskies punched their ticket to next Wednesday’s Hinsdale Central sectional, scoring a 137.925 to finish ahead of the host Wildcats (135.2), as well as Sandburg/Stagg (127.4) and Andrew (127.175).
“I think these girls carried a lot of confidence from winning the DVC, which was something very special for them,” Huskies coach Chris Stanicek said. “I think they went in there feeling like an underdog but hit their sets and came out as champions and they brought that here again tonight.”
The Huskies have received strong all-around tallies all winter from senior Kaitlyn Daly and sophomore Michaela Robert. It continued with Robert placing second with a 35.75 and Daly following right after her with a 35.4. Andrew’s Jamie Valla won the all-around with a 36.5.
While Daly and Robert’s contributions were significant, they only accounted for half of the team’s points, making the efforts of especially Carleigh Turner, Shelby Porter, Stephanie Mueller and Allie Pecorin significant ones.
Turner placed fifth on bars with an 8.3 and Mueller was fourth on floor with an 8.85.
“I was thrilled to see Carleigh Turner on the awards stand,” Stanicek said. “And Stephanie is coming into her own right now. She’s been a wonderful surprise, bringing in a score that I didn’t know I’d have this year.”
Neuqua Valley’s 135.2 points were the most it scored in a meet this season. Senior Sara Cushing led the Wildcats, placing fourth in the all-around with a 35.3. She won floor with a 9.2.
Other notable performances for Neuqua Valley included Shania Lim tying Cushing for fifth place on vault with an 8.9 and a third-place finish on beam (8.775) from sophomore Emily Jacobs.
“It’s so great to see them click like they did here tonight,” Neuqua Valley coach Jo Ann Pschigoda said. “And there’s even a little bit more out there for them.”
Lim’s 8.9 on vault was a personal record.
Sandburg/Stagg co-op’s Anna Girlich qualified for sectionals in the all-around with a 34.625 to lead her squad. Girlich had top five finishes in vault, beam and floor.
