Gymnastics: Downers Grove tops again in Hinsdale Central Sectional led by Sam Phillip, Ava Sullivan

HINSDALE – There’s no place Ava Sullivan would rather finish than the floor.

Well, maybe the awards stand.

The Oswego co-op star would stroll up there later on Monday night, after she replicated teammate Sam Phillip’s 9.35 as the junior duo finished as co-champions during the floor exercise at Monday’s Hinsdale Central sectional.

“It really helps. I really like finishing with floor, I think it’s the most fun by far, significantly,” she said. “It’s like a lot of energy. Sam (Phillip) said starting on vault is just the build up and getting excited for floor, the big finish.

“It’s just a lot of fun, and we’ve had a lot of home meets, so we’ve been used to starting on vault, so we got lucky being able to compete in Olympic order. I love finishing on floor, it’s one big ‘whew!’ ”

Sullivan also finished in second place on bars (9.3) and on beam (9.35), and Phillip placed second on vault (9.4) and was fifth on beam (9.15).

After years of having all four events running simultaneously at the sectional, Hinsdale Central moved the floor exercise to its adjacent gymnastics gym. Once Downers Grove co-op finished on beam in the main gym, which was after vault and bars had concluded, Phillip and Sullivan still were waiting for the opportunity to perform their floor routines. At a minute shy of 8:45 p.m, Sullivan was welcomed with a roar of support after matching her teammate’s score for the co-title.

“The whole meet we were just pushing each other, and I’m so glad of the outcome that we had, because we both hit,” Phillip said,. “I’m very proud of both of us, because we’ll both be going to state as all-around, which is very cool.”

The strong start on vault set the tone for the Panthers, with Sullivan scoring a 9 and Phillip placing second.

“Vault, we started off with a good start, so all of our feelings were very nice,” Phillip said. “And then bars was pretty good, pretty good and then onto beam. I think everything kept getting better from there, and we haven’t really had that happen much, so this was the perfect meet to have that.”

Having already had an excellent meet thus far, but with still a considerable 25% of their all-around scores left to go in the final event of floor, the girls connected beforehand to ensure they were mentally set for a strong finish.

“Floor is a very big event, so we had a pep talk before and tried to do the best we could,” Phillip said. “I think we did the best we could this meet. It’s crazy that on such a big meet that we can do one of our best.”

Sullivan and Phillip have been tight all season as teammates and scoring.

“It really helps having Sam so close,” Sullivan said. “It keeps that fire going, and since we’re friends, it’s awesome. It gives us both motivation to keep going.”

They’re also their biggest fans.

“Ava is my biggest supporter, and I’m her biggest supporter,” Phillip said. “It’s great.”

Oswego finished in second place as a team (139.95), well short of champion Downers Grove co-op’s 146.1. Oswego did match its season-high score.

While that’s not a season-high score for Downers Grove co-op, it’s a bigger one than the Trostangs posted last year (145.575) in winning a state title.

“We graduated three seniors out of our lineup in all of our events, so it has taken a season to work in the underclassmen to step into those roles,” Trostangs coach Kristyn Campos said. “Our biggest thing is confidence. They can do skills, it’s just building confidence.”

Scoring above 146 doesn’t happen without that confidence turning in stellar performances.

“They’re finally getting their groove,” Campos said. “It’s always been about peaking at the right time. We don’t have to be perfect. We still had mistakes, but that’s gymnastics, and they didn’t let them bother them too much.”

Junior Genevieve Herion, who took third in the state in the all-around last February, won it with a 37.675. She also won vault (9.7) and beam (9.4) to lead the Trostangs.

“I’m just super proud of everybody,” Herion said. “We all did our best today. We stayed together. Everybody did amazing. I’m proud of all of it. I tried my best today. We’ve all been working super hard in practice trying to put out the best that we can, and so I’m really happy that all of us were able to do that tonight.

“We’re a big loving family, welcoming to everyone. I love these girls so much.”

That includes a newcomer, freshman Edie Condon, who had no problem conquering the big stage of a sectional.

Condon finished fourth in the all-around (36.7), fourth on beam (9.225), tied for third on vault (9.4) and took first on bars (9.45).

“It’s been great,” she said. “Everyone has been super welcoming, and it’s just like with the support of teammates, everyone builds each other’s confidence up, and everyone is able to do it together. They’ve taught me how to work as team and have fun.”

Downers Grove co-op sophomore Kaelyn Landry took fifth on bars (9.075) to qualify for state individually as well as with her team of Trostangs.

A few other area gymnasts had outstanding efforts to join the aforementioned state qualifiers.

That includes Hinsdale Central’s Hazel Hamelka, who made a goal during her freshman year to get to state. Her senior sectional arrived late Monday night, and she’s now going to state for the first time.

Hamelka’s vault to Palatine says a lot about the senior’s perseverance as a Red Devil.

“This was a goal ever since freshman year to go to state,” she said. “I’m so excited. And that’s been my best event this whole season. That was one of my top scores. A 9.4 is my highest, but 9.3 is still really good.”

Lyons senior Emily Tucker qualified for sectionals on bars (9.2), taking fourth.

Hinsdale South junior Anya Patel took fourth on floor (9.175) to punch her ticket to the state finals later this month in Palatine.