MM_022119

38 | February 21, 2019 | The Mokena Messenger sports
mokenamessenger.com
Lincoln-Way gymnastics finishes eighth at state
Ten gymnasts see action
on big stage
Chris Walker, Freelance Reporter
There was a time not that long
ago when the Lincoln-Way coop
girls gymnastics team could
only dream of being one of the
teams competing in the state
finals.
These days, the team’s combination
of talent, hard work and drive
has made them one of the elite programs
in the state.
In their third straight appearance
at the finals in Palatine on
Friday, Feb. 15, Lincoln-Way coop
finished in eighth place with
141.25 points. The team scored
slightly lower than it had in the
state series earlier this winter,
with a 141.85 when winning the
Hinsdale South sectional and a
142.025 in the Lincoln-Way East
regional.
“Competing in the state meet
was another great experience and
we had a great day,” Lincoln-
Way co-op coach Kim Lago
said. “We really pulled from everybody
on the team this year
so it was cool that everyone
contributed.”
Before this recent run, Lincoln-Way
co-op hadn’t been to
state since 2008. Now, the co-op
is one of five schools, including
two-time defending state champions
Glenbard West, to make
it to Palatine three consecutive
seasons.
This year, they did so despite losing
standout Una Farrell and five
other gymnasts who graduated.
The experience that juniors Allie
Reis and Korina Jarosz and sophomore
Grace Kmak gained last year
was evident all season long in leading
them to the state’s biggest stage
once again.
Jarosz matched her best postseason
all-around score of the
year with a 36.5 to take 12th in
the all-around. Glenbard West senior
Maddie Diab, an Iowa State
recruit, won the all-around for
the third time in four years with a
38.55.
While none of the Lincoln-Way
co-op gymnasts advanced to the
individual event finals – only the
Top 10 scorers in the preliminaries
on Friday qualify – Jarosz had two
solid bids, taking 13th on beam
with a 9.175 and 14th on bars with
a 9.3.
“It’s really hard to make it to
day two,” Jarosz said. “I just went
in thinking of just hitting my routines.
I think I had one of the best
meets I’ve had this season so I
don’t know if I would’ve changed
anything. Maybe a couple things
on floor, but I hit all my routines so
I was happy.”
Reis was 24th on beam with an
8.825, while Kmak was a state
qualifier in three events and the
all-around as an individual qualifier.
She posted a 34.85 in the allaround
after a huge 37.05 at the
sectional. Her top finish was 23rd
on floor with a 9.025.
“Unfortunately, Grace came
in with the fourth best score
[all-around] of all the sectionals,
but it just wasn’t her day,”
Lago said. “She had some mishaps
but she fought through it
and still posted scores for our
team.”
The team went deep on Friday
with 10 gymnasts seeing action.
The team also showed off its
youth with freshmen Jenna Krystniak
scoring a 7.9 on bars and Olivia
Gonda totaling an 8.225 on
bars and an 8.975 on vault. The
sophomore class was well represented
with Skylar Koczor contributing
a 91 on vault, Jackie Furlong
adding a 7.8 on bars, Lucy
Haas earning an 8.575 on floor,
Sarah Rosinski contributing an
8.375 on beam and an 8.7 on floor,
and Kmak competing in all the
events, which included a 9.175 on
vault.
Reis added a 9.15 on floor and
9.075 on vault as her two highest
scores, while Jarosz had three
scores of 9.175 or higher, including
a 9.425 on vault while the team’s
lone senior participant was Alyssa
Lincoln-Way gymnast Olivia Gonda performs her bar routine Friday, Feb. 15, during the IHSA state
gymnastics meet in Palatine. Photos by Carlos Alvarez/22nd Century Media
Harbeck who provided an 8.575 on
beam.
“When the new kids got off the
bus and saw the gym and got to
really look around they were like,
‘Wow, this is really cool,’” Lago
said. “It’s unlike any USAG meet
they’ve been to before. It was awesome
for them to be a part of it and
the school did a great job with the
state send off. And we told them
to soak it all in because you don’t
know how lucky you are to be here.
Athletes train forever and don’t get
here and you have this opportunity
right in front of you so I think they
did enjoy it. As a young team they
did their best and there’s no complaints.”
A fourth consecutive state appearance
next winter seems promising
since all but Harbeck is capable
of returning, and who knows
if a prized freshman or two or three
is going to be walking through the
door of Lincoln-Way Central, East
or West next fall. Considering that
a handful of newcomers played big
roles already this year, it wouldn’t
be surprising if some new faces
jump on board and contribute right
away next year, too.
RIGHT: Sarah Rosinski takes her
turn in the floor exercise.
Lincoln-Way’s all-around gymnast Grace Kmak performs her beam
routine.