The Niles North girls gymnastics team stuck the landing on their 2012-2013 season.
Senior Elana Rusnak advanced to Sectionals on Thursday, Feb. 7 at Stevenson High School for vault.
Rusnak received a final score of 8.675 out a possible 9.6 on vault with a handspring with a full and a half twist.
“Gymnastics has been both a life saver and a reality check over the past four years. I’ve had opportunities to prove to people that I can indeed succeed,” Rusnak says. “I’m proud of the way I competed and I’m just really happy and honored I got to compete in the Sectional meet one last time.”
Coached by Charlie Freidman, the varsity girls have had a successful season, including wins against Maine East, Maine West and Highland Park.
On Dec. 11, the varsity, junior varsity and freshman team won against the Maine East Demons. The final score for varsity was 115.85 to 102.45, Maine East. The junior varsity girls finished with a score of 63.55 to the Demons’ 38.80.
In the freshman division, the Vikings finished with a final score of 49.25 to 43.20, winning the meet with a margin of 6.05 points.
On Thursday, Jan. 1o, the Vikings went head to head against the Maine West Warriors and came out victorious once again. In the varsity division, the Vikings had a final score of 123.35 to 117.20. The junior varsity girls finished with 77.15 points to the Warriors’ 67.40.
In their last meet on Thurs., Jan. 17, the Viking gymnasts finished their season strong with wins in two levels against the Highland Park Giants. Varsity, with a final score of 122.35, defeated the Giant’s with a margin of 3.65 points. The junior varsity division was also successful with an overall score of 78.20 to 70.45.
The team said goodbye to six seniors, including: Rusnak, Chinonso Ukeje, Shaina Shute, Miriam Makonnen, Lillian Wong and manager Vina Nguyen.
Varsity gymnast and junior Suraya Kaiser expresses the tremendous impact this year’s seniors have had on the team as a whole, ” Our seniors are really an essential part of the team this year. They’re the varsity we all look up to,” Kaiser says. “They are what makes the gymnastics gym feel like home.”
Congratulations to the seniors and the Niles North girls gymnastics team on a successful season.
