Ott and Puff Own the Floor at Gymnastics Sectional

Acknowledging the scores Glenbard West and Glenbard North have been putting up this winter, Geneva understood it would be difficult to leap those two teams and win Tuesday's Lake Park sectional.

The Vikings weren't as sharp as they were when they last competed at Lake Park for the Upstate Eight Conference meet when they set a school-record with a 142.125. Still, the Vikings were very competitive and captured third place with a 138.950.

Glenbard West won its second straight sectional title, besting Glenbard North, 145.7 to 144.225. York was fourth with a 134.675, followed by Lake Park (134.475) and Wheaton Warrenville South co-op (133.775).

"We were hoping to come in and get a 140," Geneva coach Kim Hostman said. "We expected to be around third place, so we're glad we achieved that."

The Vikings were tops on floor, scoring a 36.250, best in the sectional. More significant was where Emily Ott and Ashley Puff placed. Ott won floor with a 9.475 to earn another trip to the state finals, while the first-year sophomore was right behind her with a 9.425 to secure her first trek to Palatine on Feb. 18.

"We've been working floor so hard because we knew they both had the potential to get there," Hostman said. "They both had an outstanding meet and to go one and two on the final event was great."

Puff was seventh in the all-around with a 35.650 and Ott was 10th with a 35.450. Haley Carroll finished with a 33.9. Ott added difficulty to her beam routine in hopes of boosting her score toward a possible 9.6 but had to count a fall and settled for an 8.9.

"I fell on it, but it was worth it," she said. "It's my last year, so I wanted to give it a shot. And then the rest (of the team) was awesome on beam, so I was pleased with that."

Hostman is hopeful Ott can hold on and secure an at-large birth on beam.

"She's such a strong competitor. It was nice to see her come out and show what she had again," she said. "We're a little disappointed that she fell, but we'll see what happens."

Freshman Claire Scatterday led the Vikings on beam with a 9.1.

The team endured during its final meet of the season, and the final meet in the careers of seniors Alycia Hostman, Erin Kluck and Sadie Dainko. Hostman and Carroll also had to battle through injuries on vault.

"We've had so many accomplishments this year," Hostman said. "We've had a great season and yes it was disappointing to not get through as a team, but we knew what we were going up against and we're so proud of them."

Geneva scores from the Lake Park Sectional

Team: 138.950

Events: 33.025 bars, 35.4 beam, 36.250 floor, 34.275 vault

Individual gymnasts

Carroll, Haley: 33.9 all-around, 8.325 bars, 8.475 beam, 8.875 floor, 9.225 vault

Dainko, Sadie: 8.275 floor

Ginsberg, Jenna: 7.925 bars

Graham, Alexis: 8.05 vault

Hostman, Alycia: 8.1 vault, 8.15 beam

Kluck, Erin: 8.475 floor

Ott, Emily: 35.450 all-around, 8.05 bars, 8.9 beam, 9.425 floor, 9.025 vault

Puff, Ashley: 35.650 all-around, 8.475 bars, 8.925 beam, 9.425 floor, 8.925 vault

Scatterday, Claire: 8.275 bars, 9.1 beam

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