After receiving a season-high score of 145.3 at the New Trier Regional on Feb. 3, the girls gymnastics team went on to win Friday, Feb. 6 at the Stevenson Sectionals for the first time since 1995, automatically qualifying for the 2012-2013 state championship tournament.
Senior Kerry Scafidi won on bars, as well as taking third on floor and third all-around. Junior Elana Benishay also qualified on the same three events, while the team scored a total of 144.4 points all together. The girls’ only struggles were on the beam.
“We started great on bars, which is always tricky, and every girl felt that is very uncharacteristic for us, and we were very disappointed,” said head coach Julie Pistorius.
The girls were able to bounce back, however, with strong performances on the floor and vault. “Sectionals went pretty well for us as a team. We definitely had a rough time on beam but we pulled ourselves together on floor and vault and showed what we can really do,” said Benishay.
For state, the Trevians are going to focus on bar, and work to have consistent routines in the other events. According to sophomore Sam Stoddart, staying consistent is one thing the Trevians have been really strong at this season.
“A lot of the girls have had cleaner routines this year and that has definitely helped a lot,” she said.
The Trevians posted some of their highest individual scores of the season at regionals, winning medals in many of the events. Benishay came first in the uneven bars and beam, while Scafidi came first in vault and floor. Junior Stephanie Steen and sophomores Claire Egerter and Stoddart also had top five finishes.
Benishay felt good about her performance at regionals. “After regionals I was extremely happy with my routines because I knew I hadn’t let distractions or nerves get in the way. I competed like I had competed [during] practice and didn’t get overwhelmed by everything going on,” she said. Benishay scored a season high 9.3 on the uneven bars after sticking her landing.
Not only did Benishay come first in the uneven bars and the beam, she also came first in the all-around, scoring a career-high total of 37.6. “I was really surprised with my scores. It felt surreal to get an all around in the 37s,” she said.
Stoddart has been out for most of the season because of a stress fracture in her back, but competed for the first time at regionals, finishing third on the uneven bars, fifth on the beam and sixth on floor.
“I feel that I did very well individually at regionals,” said Stoddart. I wish I was able to compete in the all-around, but I’m just not at the point where my body is ready to take that much impact. It was really stressful and nerve-wracking for me at first, because it was the first meet I competed in all season, but the team was really supportive and I felt great just being out there again.”
Pistorius commended Stoddart’s comeback. “Her competing on bars, beam and floor was a great contribution to the team,” she said. Though the team completely exceeded her and the other coaches’ expectations, Pistorius hopes that the team will continue to improve and hopefully get an even better score at sectionals.
“The girls are focused and ready for sectionals. We know we have to hit and do what we did on Friday at Regionals, if not more, at Stevenson,” she said.
Last year was the first year the girls gymnastics team competed in state since 1995, and their team is now better than ever. “The team as a whole is the most talented team that we have had so far,” said Pistorius.
Junior Stephanie Steen felt as though the team’s well-roundedness made them stronger. “Our team is strong on every event, especially floor. We are very strong mentally as well,” Steen said.
One important quality the team possesses is being supportive. “I think our team is definitely strongest at supporting each other and helping to motivate everyone. When we’re at practice and someone is going for a new skill the whole gym starts to cheer,” explained Stoddart, who spent a lot of the season on the sidelines cheering on her teammates. Stoddart explained that, although it was hard not to be out competing, watching the girls go through their routines made her proud to be on their team.
The team only saw one member graduate last year and three freshmen join this year, so the team is largely the same team that went to state. Now that Stoddart is back competing, these Trevians are feeling more confident then even about their chances at this year’s tournament.
“With the return of Sam Stoddart it’s basically a completely different varsity team,” explained Benishay. “Only our team scores from regionals on can truly reflect this current team.”