Lyons Gymnastics Win Regional With Season High

Lyons Township senior Taylor Southworth left her final home gymnastics meet Friday with great memories.

In her final routine at the LT Regional in Western Springs, Southworth nailed her floor exercise routine with a 9.55 for first place that added to the Lions’ victorious night with a season-high 146.10 points. Naperville Central was second with 133.35 points.

The floor routine also guaranteed Southworth the first 37.00-plus all-around score of her high-school career – a 37.55 that also earned first place. Southworth also tied for first on balance beam (9.075) and LT senior Carolyn Cozza won vault (school-record 9.825) and the uneven parallel bars (9.575).

Seniors Niki Nolan and Katie Oeltgen, junior Ali Stuck and sophomore Maren Craig automatically earned individual sectional berths with top-five finishes.

“It was even more exciting that I could not only go 37 but to go 37.55 and that my team had a great night as well,” Southworth said. “Of course, it’s a thought every meet but not only did I want the 37 for myself but for the team. During the meet it’s more that I have to hit so that it can contribute to the team score.”

The Lions’ sixth straight regional title advances them to the Hinsdale Central Sectional at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. If they can win, they would automatically qualify for the fifth year in a row for the eight-team state meet Feb. 18-19 at Palatine High School. Besides the four sectional champions, the four teams with the four highest remaining scores advance at-large.

“State has been our goal since the beginning of season. We know that we’re capable again of making it this year. We just have to stay focused and concentrate on hitting our routines,” Cozza said. “(For the seniors, Friday) was sad because it was our last time competing in our home gym. It was a little emotional but we’re all happy how we performed so we felt we all went out on a good note.”

The Lions dominated the awards stand. Their four all-arounders – Southworth, Cozza (37.325), Craig (35.30) and Oeltgen (35.175) – took first through fourth place.

LT also swept the top five spots on floor with Southworth, Cozza (9.2), Stuck (9.175), Oeltgen (9.025) and Craig (8.95) and uneven bars with Cozza, Southworth (9.375), Nolan (9.2), Oeltgen (8.95) and Craig (8.875). Cozza and Southworth (9.375) were first and second on vault, and Southworth was followed on beam by Cozza (8.725) and Craig (8.6) in third and fourth.

Nazareth Academy had three gymnasts compete Friday as individuals -- junior Morgan Borkovec and freshmen Lauren Ryczek and Jennifer Salada. Ryczek advanced to sectionals with a third-place 9.35 on vault.

Southworth also took first place in all-around at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet but her total was 36.95, one of many 36.95s she’s had in her career until Friday.

“We’ve been working so hard in the gym to gain a few tenths here or there and we are really seeing the hard work and exhaustion pay off.  The girls had an amazing night. Still, I'm not satisfied but am so proud,” LT coach Kari Karubas said.

“Carolyn Cozza broke not only a school record on vault but her school record, and Taylor Southworth finally broke the curse of 36.95 not only by a little; but, by a considerable amount.  Ali Stuck competed so well on the floor exercise and Niki Nolan and Katie Oeltgen were to epitome of consistency for us.”

The Lions made strides from scoring 142.875 at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Jan. 29. On Friday, they were a bit disappointed with their overall team performance on vault but Oeltgen’s strong routine on the uneven bars set the tone for a strong meet the rest of the way.

Cozza however, did have a memorable vault. Her strong layout Yurchenko broke the previous record of 9.8 that Cozza achieved last season en route to tied for fifth on the event at state with a 9.65.

“That was something I didn’t really expect because I never thought I could score above a 9.8,” Cozza said. “Still, it thought it was one of my better ones and exciting because it’s the only one I’ve ever stuck in a meet before. Usually I take a step or two backwards”

Besides winning floor, Southworth enjoyed a special title on beam. She shared first place with her cousin, Downers Grove North senior Bronte’ Southworth. The gymnasts’ fathers are brothers.

“We sent a video of (the beam awards) to our grandparents,” LT’s Southworth said. “We’ve been competing, doing gymnastics together since we were 4 so that was fun.”

At sectionals, the Lions’ top competition will be Silver champion Hinsdale Central, which won its regional Saturday with a school-record 147.25. The rest of the sectional field will be determined after the final regional tonight at Neuqua Valley.

Even the Lions don’t win Wednesday, they need as strong a performance as possible to advance at-large. LT is among eight teams in the state that scored as high as 145.60 at regionals battling for seven of the berths.

“We have two more practices to make sure everything is going to go well. After regionals, we're feeling like we can have a chance at it. We’re just going to work hard, stay determined and do our best Wednesday night.”

Team scores:

1. Lyons Township 146.10, 2. Naperville Central 133.35, 3. Downers Grove North 127.525, 4. Riverside-Brookfield 117.675

LT/Nazareth individual results

All-around: 1. Taylor Southworth (LT) 37.55, 2. Carolyn Cozza (LT) 37.325, 3. Maren Craig (LT) 35.30, 4. Katie Oeltgen (LT) 35.175, 15. Morgan Borkovec (N) 27.425, 16. Lauren Ryczek (N) 25.225

Vault: 1. Cozza 9.825, 2. Southworth 9.55, 3. Ryczek (N) 9.35, 7T. Craig and Oeltgen 8.875, 11T. Ali Stuck 8.65, 13. Jennifer Salada (N) 8.6, 19. Borkovec 8.225

Uneven parallel bars: 1. Cozza 9.575, 2. Southworth 9.375, 3. Niki Nolan (LT) 9.2, 4. Oeltgen 8.95, 5. Craig 8.875, 10. Ryczek 7.95, 18. Salada 7.075, 20. Borkovec 6.75

Balance beam: 1T. Southworth (LT) 9.075, 3. Cozza 8.725, 4. Craig 8.6, 7. Nolan 8.525, 8. Oeltgen 8.325, 20. Salada 6.15, 21. Santoro 6.075, 23. Borkovec 5.05

Floor exercise: 1. Southworgh 9.55, 2. Cozza 9.2, 3. Stuck 9.175, 4. Oeltgen 9.025, 5. Craig 8.95, 16. Ryczek 7.925, 21. Borkovec 7.25