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By MIKE CONSIDINE Daily Herald Sports Writer In addition to finishing her career as the Illinois High School Gymnastics Coaches Association Senior Gymnast of the Year, St. Charles East’s Lauren Van Thournout established a couple of milestones in the Saints pro gram, Van Thournout was the Saints’ first four-time state qualifier and, therefore, the first four-year state finalist. Although she wasn’t able to compete in the IHSA state finals because of torn ligaments in her right ankle, she still is consid ered a finalist because of her 10th place finish on uneven aral lel bars last Friday at Palatine High School. Former St. Charles coach Jim Guest, who is coaching part time at the Palatine Gymnastics Club, said VanThournout also is the program’s scoring leader. Guest coached VanThournout during her first three seasons. Guest was glad to see that Van Thournout was selected to be the state’s Senior Gymnast of the Year. “She’s very deserving of it,” Guest said. “She’s an outstand ing student as well. Her sister, Lyndsey, was an outstanding gymnast and her mom, Vicki, is in her fifth year as president of the gymnastics booster club. “It’s very fitting, not just for Lauren, but for the entire famil l. if Van Thournout had held her seventh-place position in all around, established during the first two events of last Friday’s prelminere, she would have een one of seven to place in the top 10 in four consec utive seasons. The group includes MaryAnne Kelley of Fremd (1995-98) and Janne Klepek of Lyons Township (1982-85), who each won three consecutive all-around state titles. Deanna Schwartz of York (1981-84) won as a freshman in 1981. Alyson Cacciatore of Glen brook South (1998-2001) won in 2000. Nikki Drennan of Naperville North (1991-94) won two bars and two vaulting championships. Bonnie Higgins of Rolling Mead ows (1985-88) shared a vaultin championship with Jennifer Red mond in 1988. Kielson hopeful for 2002: In her first three seasons, Batavia junior Nicei Kielson has been able to show what she could do only in short glimpses. A back injury, originally thought to be a possible stress fracture, was this season’s oul lit. It developed about two weeks into preseason practices and kept her out until well into Janu ary and cost her two months of training and competition. After doing physical therapy that concentrated on strengthen ing her lower spine, Kielson returned, albeit at less than full strength. “I was working on everything, but I was only about 75 percent (healthy),” Kielson said. “I never got to do my (Tsukahara vault). I id pretty much my usual rou tines on beam, floor and bars.” As a freshman, she tore an anterior cruciate ligament in December and wasn’t able to compete again for nearly a year. At times as a sophomore, Kielson was the Bulldogs’ top all arounder. She placed eighth in all-around (8.7563 avg.) at the Neuqua Val ley regional and also qualified for the Oswego sectional in vaulting and uneven parallel bars. Her vaulting score that night (9.35) was just .1 off Laura Jungels’ school record. This year Kielson’s highlight was contributed to the Bulldogs’ school record in a dual against St. Charles East. She scored 8.2 on floor exercise and 8.1 on bal ance beam. “That was great,” Kielson said. “It was my first meet back. It was just exciting to be back on the team and do so well. It was fun.” Lauren and Lisa Allen and Kielson should be the Bulldogs’ top all-arounders next year, health permitting. “As of now, I’m going to take a break for a little while,” Kielson said. “Then I’ll see how my back feels.” Not the same without team mates. It wasn’t the type of state meet week St. Charles East senior Laura Beamish, but she has few regrets about her only high school gymnastics season. “I think I did pretty well, but mostly I’m glad the team did really well,” Beamish said. “It was really fun.” After coping with the flu earlier in the week and a bit of a relapse during the prelims on Friday, she placed 23rd on bars (8.725) and 27th on floor (8.875). “I was happy to make it to state,” Beamish said, “but at the same time, it wasn’t fun. It’s hard to be here as an individual when you're used to being part of a team.” Summer camp: Geneva’s gym nasts will attend the Woodward Sports Camp in Woodward, Penn., this summer along with Larkin’s team. The instructors include former Olympic gym nasts Phoebe Mills, Svetlana Boguinskaia and Lilia Podko payeva. Goodbye, Steve: With the Neuqua Valley sectional, Batavia coach Steve Conlon concluded his career with the Bulldogs. Conlon finished with one of the most successful seasons in Batavia’s history, including the school scoring record and the Bulldogs’ best conference plac ing — a second-place finish at the Suburban Prairie Conference meet. Emptying the quotebook: Naperville North coach Brad Foerch on Van Thournout: “She’s a wonderful girl. She’s very sweet. What you see is exactly what you get with her. I know the girls on my team love her. The same is true of all the St. Charles kids. They’re a great group of girls.” Saints senior Erica Wilson on VanThournout: “She always has a lot of energy. Whenever she talks, she’s kind of hard to keep up with.” St. Charles East coach Jen nifer Cannata on VanThournout: “She gets everyone pumped up, which is kind of nice. The other girls can’t help but look up to her because she’s such a stellar ath lete, but she has great leadership qualities as well.” — VanThournout on Van Thournout: “In high school I’ve done a lot better at competing than I was at club. I don’t let nerves get to me as much. I don’t let pressure get to me.” St. Charles East’s Lauren Van Thournout was named Illinois High School Gymnastics Coaches Association Senior Gymnast of the Year at last week’s state meet. Daily Herald Photo/Rick West
Newspaper Details
Arlington Heights Daily Herald Suburban Chicago
Arlington Heights, Illinois, US
Fri, Feb 23, 2001
Page 294
Full Page
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