Boys Gymnastics: Wheaton Warrenville Dominates Donaldson Invitational

High school athletics should be fun.

There's no denying that the gymnasts at Wheaton Warrenville co-op are having fun this spring. They're having a blast and they're winning. They're winning a lot. They're also winning by a lot as was the case when the team hosted the annual Dave Donaldson Invitational on Friday night, scoring nearly 18 points better than runner-up Hinsdale Central.

Wheaton Warrenville co-op won the Invitational with a 159.227, followed by Hinsdale Central’s 131.325 and Niles North's 126.750. There were 11 teams that competed in the Invitational.

More than winning though, competing in the Donaldson afforded the team with an opportunity to celebrate competing at home, something the senior-heavy team has grown to appreciate, as well as to continue to polish its routines for the upcoming conference meet, sectional and hopefully state.

"We were really happy overall," Wheaton Warrenville junior Mark Ciesielski said. "This was probably the most fun I've had at a meet. It was just a really good time and fun to be here."

Ciesielski took third place on floor with a 9.3.

Senior Darren Fill led the way for the winners. Fill posted the best all-around score with a 53.925. He also won floor with a 9.55, still rings with a 9.1 and vault with a 9.475.

"One of the things that was awesome was how much fun we had as a team," Wheaton senior Darren Fill said. "There were falls and slip ups, but we understood those were going to happen and after each event we left that behind and moved on."

Another senior, Mike Brackmann, won the horizontal bar with a 9.55 and was second in the all-around with a 52.550. Wheaton finished the meet on the event and dominated. Fill was second with a 9.3, Ethan Sansone was fifth with an 8.05 and Zack Neal was sixth with an 8.0.

"We all just went in today not thinking about hitting or missing, but just thinking of it as practice and whatever happens, happens," Brackmann said. "We're all getting ready and starting to come around. Today it turned out to be one of our better meets."

Fill applauded his team's ability to finish strong.

"We went 5-for-5 on high bar which I don't remember the last time that happened," he said. "What an awesome way to end the meet. We all feel great right now."

Sansone won parallel bars for Wheaton Warrenville with an 8.95. The only event that Wheaton Warrenville didn't have the top finisher was pommel horse where Glenbard North's Ryan Kennedy won with a 9.050. Of course, Wheaton was still all over the scoreboard as it posted four of the top six pommel horse scores.

Having fun each time they compete and enjoying each moment throughout the season is something Fill and his teammates are stressing. Much of this has to do with the senior leadership Fill, Brackmann, Shelly and Charlie Fisher provide, as well as their understanding that time is running out on their high school careers. That said, they're doing everything they can to enjoy it as much as possible.

Success has followed the team. Wheaton Warrenville co-op is aiming to make its fifth state finals appearance in the past seven years and is pursuing its first state title since 2005. The team has been one of the highest scoring teams this year and should have a very good chance of bringing home a championship trophy from Frankfort.

"There's going to be a time soon where we really have to turn it on," Brackmann said. "But for now it was all about having fun and trying out best without getting too stressed out."

2011 Dave Donaldson Invitational Results:

Wheaton Warrenville co-op 159.227, Hinsdale Central 131.325, Niles North 126.750, Glenbrook South 125.545, Glenbrook North 124.856, Glenbard North 111.975, Naperville Central 111.573, Lyons Twp. 108.450, Elk Grove 102.875, Willowbrook 96.450, Homewood-Flossmoor 92.200.

All-Around: Darren Fill (WHE) 53.925, Mike Brackmann (WHE) 52.550, Ryan Kennedy (GN) 52.350;  Floor: Fill (WHE) 9.55, Ethan Sansone (WHE) 9.4, Mark Ciesielski (WHE) 9.3; Pommel horse: Kennedy (GN) 9.050, Brackmann (WHE) 8.85, Sansone (WHE) 8.8;  Still rings: Fill (WHE) 9.1, Brackmann (WHE) 9.0, Nate Elfant (GBRKN) 8.4; Vault: Fill (WHE) 9.475, Dave Rynearson (NC) 9.3, Tyler Leahy (HC) 9.2; Parallel bars: Sansone (WHE) 8.95, Kennedy (WHE) 8.9, Leahy (HC) 8.550; High bar: Brackmann (WHE) 9.55, Fill (WHE) 9.3, Kennedy (GN) 8.6.

Wheaton Warrenville co-op Individual Team Scores:

Brackmann, Mike: 8.3 floor, 8.85 pommel horse, 9.0 still rings, 8.6 vault, 8.250 parallel bars, 9.550 high bar.

Ciesielski, Mark: 9.3 floor, 9.15 vault.

Fill, Darren: 9.55 floor, 8.3 pommel horse, 9.1 still rings, 9.475 vault, 8.2 parallel bars, 9.3 high bar.

Fisher, Charlie: 7.1 still rings, 8.925 vault.

Heller, Danny: 7.4 pommel horse, 7.55 high bar.

Neal, Zack, 6.65 still rings, 8.05 parallel bars, 8.0 high bar.

Ronaldson, Nick: 3.5 pommel horse.

Sansone, Ethan: 9.4 floor, 8.8 pommel horse, 8.95 parallel bars, 8.050 high bar.

Shelly, Bayly: 8.4 floor, 6.2 still rings, 8.927 vault, 7.8 parallel bars.

Download the movie