LINCOLNSHIRE — The Glenbrook South girls gymnastics team lost its second-best all-arounder earlier this week when freshman Katie Wahl tore ligaments in her right elbow during practice.
Wahl’s injury left the team’s other gymnasts feeling like they had something to prove entering the Stevenson Regional on Wednesday night.
“There were definitely some nerves, but also a lot of confidence,” Glenbrook South junior Kaci Castino said. “We were like, ‘OK, we’ve got to go out there and show them who we are.’ I think we just did. We did our best and we showed everyone who GBS is.”
The Titans, even without Wahl, won the Stevenson Regional. They finished with 140.125 points, edging the second-place Patriots (138.925). Niles West (131.225) took third, and Niles North (121.900) finished fourth. With the win, Glenbrook South earned an automatic berth in the Niles North Sectional on Feb. 13.
Glenbrook South freshman Hannah Hartley followed up her all-around title at the CSL South meet on Feb. 1 with a first-place finish (37.100) in the all-around at the regional. Hartley took first on both floor exercise (9.425) and vault (9.350).
Hartley just barely outscored Stevenson junior Elizabeth Shank (37.0750), who took first on uneven bars with a score of 9.3250. Stevenson junior Alyssa Weisberg was third in the all-around (36.950), and she won a regional title on beam (9.400).
Niles West junior Catherine Steegmueller was fourth in the all-around (36.325)
Glenbrook South was able to top Stevenson for the regional title because of its depth and the way the Titans stepped up in Wahl’s absence. Castino, who was fifth in the all-around (34.7250), said Wednesday night was her best meet of the season even though the team was counting on her more after Wahl’s injury.
“I think the pressure maybe helped a little bit for me, as an individual,” Castino said. “I was really on today. I was focused on every event, and I think it just helped a lot.”
Glenbrook South freshman Julia Stadler was sixth in the all-around (34.675), senior Amanda Browder was eighth (33.625) and senior Samantha Kopley was 11th (30.900) for the Titans.
