Girls Gymnastics: Hawks stick beam at CSL South championships
By MATT HARNESS mharness@pioneerlocal.com January 31, 2012 12:38PM
1/27/2012 Evanston Maine South's Haleigh Sir 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 8:39AM
By far, the balance beam is the one event that gives gymnasts the most trouble.
But beam was what vaulted Haleigh Sir and Maine South to new heights Friday at the CSL South championship at Evanston. Sir won the rotation with a career-high 9.625 for the junior’s first conference title.
The Hawks went on to finish second to New Trier with a season-best 136.025. The Trevians won their second title in a row with 142.925 points.
“The girls had a great meet,” said Maine South coach Tessa Robinson, whose club was scheduled to compete at the Stevenson Regional on Wednesday. “They really hit their routines.
“I was most impressed with them on the beam. Everybody hit for the first time this season. That was exciting.”
Allegra Miller was third on the beam with 8.85. The senior re-injured her ankle in warmups, but was able to compete on beam, floor exercise and vault.
“She really pushed through,” Robinson said. “I was happy she was able to gather herself and focus. She’s a really motivated girl and a good leader on the team.”
Nicole Allegretti’s 8.7 on beam gave the Hawks three gymnasts in the top seven and helped them to a season-high 35.525 score.
Sir also finished second in the all-around at 36.225. New Trier freshman Sam Stoddart won the event with a 36.9.
“Haleigh had a great meet, but she knows there are some things she needs to clean up,” Robinson said. “She’s been working really hard in practice.”
Nicole Nieder was Maine South’s other all-arounder. The sophomore, who’s been battling shin splits, took 12th at 32.625.
“She hit her routines, and I’m looking forward to seeing more from her in the future.”
The Stevenson Regional feeds into the Niles North Sectional on Feb. 9. Sir is looking to return to the state meet, where she competed on floor as a sophomore.
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.”
— Dan Shalin also contributed
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