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Sports
Becoming Illinois' Best : Sports : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisBecoming Illinois' Best
| Gymanstics team wins invite for first time since 2006
| by Kristin Sharp
| 12/22/2011
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The Oswego co-op gymnastics team continues to find ways to build momentum through the first half of the season, most recently winning the Illinois Best Invite at Wheaton South.
The team traveled to the 10-team invite last Saturday with each squad entering one all-around gymnast and a different gymnast in each of the other four remaining events. Oswego posted a top score on the bars and went on to score a 69.10 to top runner-up Geneva (68.90) and win the invite for the first time since 2006. Waubonsie Valley, Wheaton South and St. Charles co-op rounded out the top five teams.
"This group of girls pretty much have all been in that third, fourth and fifth placing the last few years so for them to come out with first place is very exciting," Oswego head coach Sarah Dugan said. "Our vault score was pretty low, but on bars we were the top team. It's great and shows bars is one of our strengths. It's usually a struggle for us.
"Halfway through the meet, they announced we were in first place. It was kind of stressful to keep it. They really did a great job. It shows that our top two girls are really getting us where we need to be," Dugan said.
Oswego senior Kyla Price represented the team in the all around and scored a 9.250 with her pike tsuk on vault and an 8.8 on the bars. She received an 8.25 on the balance beam and scored an 8.95 on the floor for a combined all-around score of 35.25 and a third-place finish.
"This past week she started doing her vault alone. Usually we stand there in case it doesn't go quite right, but as we've been talking about building confidence, she was ready to do it by herself," Dugan said.
"She's doing a vault that's worth a 9.8, and that's what she did at the state meet. It's just that confidence she needs. Her beam is great and her bars are fantastic. She's just got really clean form. On floor, she seems like everything is so effortless. She's just worked really hard to get where she's at.
"We talk all the time about where she was at when she was a freshman and she's come a long way. She's really a leader for the team."
On the balance beam, junior Kathryn Maher won the balance beam with the top individual score of 8.7. (The all-around competitors were removed from the event scores and the top five individuals received medals.)
"I really know that (Maher) is capable of that. She's one of our top beam workers. She went up there and does what she always does. She's really good under pressure and we just think that's where she can shine," Dugan said.
Freshman Emily Flammersfeld was second on the uneven bars with a score of 8.475. Junior Amanda Padlo was third on the floor exercise with a score of 8.675.
"Kyla is really showing (Flammersfled) the ropes on how to not be so nervous and really focus on the team. She's really stepped up as a freshman and she's come a long way in this first month. I could not have asked for anything more from her," Dugan said.
"Amanda's floor has been phenomenal. Last year she was learning a new skill and it just really took some time to get used to. Now she's just hitting it every time. She's really enjoying it and it builds her confidence. She's come a long way and we keep hoping she'll keep improving and she still has a year ahead."
Sophomore Megan Dobbertin was ninth overall on the vault with her score of 8.0 to complete Oswego's team total at the invite.
Oswego will now prepare to host the Panther Invite next Tuesday at noon, which will close out the 2011 portion of the schedule, returning to competition on Jan. 7.
"We're going to do everything we can and we're trying to get in a few last scores before seeding. We're just hoping to keep making improvements and build from where we're at," Dugan said.
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