Claire Ginsberg slid into the gymnastics state final with minimal expectation or fanfare last year. This time, the target was squarely on her back.
Perhaps feeling extra weight on the final event, the Geneva sophomore fell twice off the balance beam, knocking her from first to 10th in the all-around at Palatine High School. She’d fallen only once on the beam this season entering Friday.
“She’s had an amazing season, it was just a fluke,” Geneva coach Kim Hostman said. “She felt a little bit of pressure, going last and all. She got through to (individual) finals on each of the other three events though, so she’ll just have to win those.”
Ginsberg finished first in both the vault (9.825) and floor exercise (9.6).
She unexpectedly took the all-around crown last year, with a score of 37.875, making her the second freshman to ever do so and first since 2005. She would’ve been the first gymnast in state history to win the all-around in her freshman and sophomore years.
Ginsberg tallied the third-highest sectional score, behind two seniors — Prospect’s Maddie Larock and the eventual all-around state champion, Prairie Ridge’s Rachael Underwood.
Despite the individual disappointment, Geneva is happy sitting in second place entering Saturday’s team final. The Vikings trail Prairie Ridge 149.35 to 146.75.
“We’re disappointed, of course, but not so much that we can’t celebrate where we are in the team standings,” Hostman said.
No three-peat for Lyons: Lyons is the two-time defending state champion, but come Saturday, the Lions most likely will relinquish their crown.
Coach Kari Karubas, who has led the Lions since 2005-06, entered the state meet with “no expectations” for the first time.
“We graduated two amazing 38 (scoring) all-arounders and have this new group of students, a group of freshmen,” she said. “We’ve come such a long way (this year).”
Lyons’ scores progressed as the season did, going from a 132 at their first meet to a 146.9 at regionals, according to Karubas
Despite the youth movement, Lyons (143.475) will enter Saturday’s team finals in sixth place and within five-tenths of fourth-place Barrington (143.925).
“The mistakes we had tonight were a product of where our focus needed to be this season,” Karubas said. “I do see improvement, I do see where the girls progressed.”
State-title team streaks are prevalent in the event’s history. Since its inception in 1977, 10 schools have successfully repeated as champions. If Lyons won again, it would be the sixth three-peat in state history.
“I know that people expect year-after-year, trophy-trophy-trophy, but it’s impossible,” Karubas added. “I’m very proud of this team. They’ve really learned a lot.”
Top 10 individuals
Rachael Underwood, Prairie Ridge, sr., 38.225; Maddie Larock, Prospect, sr., 37.875; Emily Basara, Warren, sr., 37.825; Kelsy Kurfirst, Lyons, sr., 37.7; Maddie Nowak, Hinsdale South, jr., 37.2; Allison Riedel, Jacobs, sr., 37.2; Aleah Leman, DeKalb, so., 37.2; Michaela Robert, Naperville North, sr., 37.05; Abby Hasanov, Barrington, jr., 37.05; Claire Rose Ginsberg, Geneva, so., 36.925