Gymnasts Set To Join Hunt For State Trophy

Evanston’s boys gymnastics team just missed bringing back another state trophy when they finished fourth at the Illinois High School Gymnastics Coaches Association competition last year.

The Wildkits don’t plan to come up short again.

With Giovani Borrayo, Nathan Schlack and Jacob Potter scoring a 1-2-3 sweep in the all-around competition, Evanston breezed to the team title at Wednesday’s Lake Park Sectional and ranks as one of the teams in the hunt for a trophy at the state finals set for May 16 at Hoffman Estates High School.

With one sectional meet still to be completed Friday, Evanston’s winning point total of 143.40 trails only odds-on team favorite Glenbard West (161.60) and Naperville North (143.40) among the contenders. Downers Grove North could also be in the mix in the team race.

Since the IHSGCA took over the competition from the Illinois High School Association, the top 10 scoring teams (regardless of actual sectional placing) have advanced to the finals. And a top five individual placement at the sectional is no guarantee of advancement, either.

Evanston has thrived under that system and under the guidance of veteran head coach Frank Erwin, who revived a dormant program and led the Wildkits to a state runner-up team finish in 2024.

It’s not a win at all costs philosophy. Erwin rebuilt the program from the ground up when he took over 15 years ago, establishing a feeder program for the boys --- the Junior Wildkit Gymnastics team --- and leaning on technique and fundamentals to succeed.

Now Evanston is reaping the rewards from those efforts. Borrayo, Schlack and Potter are all products of that feeder program and could claim individual medals if they can turn in peak performances on the final day of the season.

“It’s not a given that we’re going to win a trophy (at State),” Erwin pointed out. “It’s been a great season and we had a pretty good meet at the sectional. I give these guys all the credit, because they’ve exceeded expectations this year. I didn’t expect this team to be as good as we’ve been the past couple of years, but as it turns out, they’re every bit as good.”

The Kits got a boost when Borrayo, who was home-schooled until enrolling at ETHS for his junior year, decided to join a solid group of veterans led by Schlack and Potter.

“I’ve coached Gio since he was 8 or 9, and I’m always joking with him about coming out to the high school team,” said Erwin. “I didn’t put a hard sell on him, though. I just said please come out, we could use you. Even without him, we would have won the conference and the sectional, but he’s really helped with our overall team score.

“I’m really proud of these guys. Nathan has really come on strong this year and Jacob has been rock solid for us for four years. It’s really been a pleasant surprise this year.”

At the sectional, Borrayo’s all-around score of 48.95 points topped the field, including teammates Schlack (48.65) and Potter (45.20). The junior standout scored individual victories on still rings (8.5) and vault (9.2) and placed 2^nd on floor exercise (9.05) and horizontal bar (7.05).

Schlack ruled the parallel bars field with a winning score of 8.85 to account for Evanston’s other first place finish. He also contributed a 2^nd on rings (8.0), a 3^rd on vault (8.65), a 3^rd on horizontal bar (7.0) and a 4^th on pommel horse (8.05).

Potter’s top 5 finishes included a 3^rd on pommel horse (8.1) and a 4^th on floor ex (8.8). Brady Breen contributed a 5^th for ETHS with a score of 8.7 on floor exercise.