THe North shore weekend
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1/18 – 1/19/14
It's a fit
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Inaugural Straus Invite proves to be a feel-good event ■ by bill mclean
sports@northshoreweekend.com Sara Rossman’s slippers could easily double as identical stuffed animals. See a fluffy monkey head covering her right foot. See a fluffy monkey head covering her left foot. The Lake Forest High School sophomore slipped into them after a home gymnastics meet on Jan. 11. “A gift from my grandma [Dorothy “Happy” Clements, of Indiana],” said the Scout, looking down at her unique and oh-so-cozy footwear. “I got them when I was 4. “They still fit,” Rossman added. Also fitting, on Jan. 11: the new name of the meet. Formerly known as the Lake Forest Gymnastics Invitational, it was officially renamed the Robin Straus Gymnastics Invitational. Straus retired from coaching last winter, after guiding LFHS gymnasts for 34 years. “This [invite] was always her baby,” said Straus’ successor and former assistant, Alison Gildemeister, who coached girls gymnastics at Vernon Hills HS the past two winters. “Robin deserves the honor, because she put her whole life into coaching the sport here.” For LFHS athletic director Tim Burkhalter, changing the name of the invite made sense. “Real good teams always compete at this meet, and Robin didn’t just have an impact as a coach at our school.” he said. “Her impact in gymnastics was felt across the state of Illinois.” Straus handed out top-10 medals at the end of her meet on Jan. 11. Lake Forest senior Brittany Moccia received three of them, including a bronze for her 9.45 routine on the balance beam. The Scouts’ top returner from last year’s sixth-place team at state also finished sixth in the all-around (9.1125) and eighth on vault (9.6). “I think I did the best I could for this meet,” Moccia said.
True Britt: Lake Forest High School’s Brittany Moccia moves through her uneven bars routine at the inaugural Straus Invite on Jan. 11. She placed sixth in the all-around.
photography by joel lerner “But there’s still room for improvement. I want to improve my dismount on bars, get more endurance for my last [tumbling] pass on floor and add a standing-back on beam.” Rossman, meanwhile, is glad to be back in the gym — after an extended break from the sport. She last competed as a gymnast in the seventh grade. “I missed it,” said Rossman, who attended Culver (Ind.) Academy last year. “Being with the team tonight [at the Straus Invite], getting support from everybody … I’ll remember a lot about this meet.” Rossman finished second among teammates in the allaround (21st, 7.9375). Scouts junior Laura Blake also competed as an all-arounder (24th, 7.65), as LF placed eighth (127.7). contributions from David Hammes (9 points, 4 assists), Sean Boyd (8 points, 7 rebounds), Ricky Samuelson (8 points, 4 steals) and Jordan Thomas (7 points). On Jan. 11, NT topped visiting Buffalo Grove 55-37. Thomas had 10 points.
David Sachs Highland Park Boys Basketball: The junior guard was the game’s leading scorer (18 points) and rebounder (6) in HP’s come-from-behind victory over visiting Niles North 44-37. Fellow guards Luke Norcia (8 points) and Jacob Iden (7 points) also aided the cause. The Giants (11-3, 4-0) outscored the Vikings 17-5 in the fourth quarter. Evan Boudreaux Lake Forest Boys Basketball: The junior came up with a teamhigh 16 points and seven rebounds in a 55-43 setback to visiting Warren on Jan. 9. Cal Miller finished with eight points, five rebounds and four assists. Jack Traynor had seven points for the Scouts (12-3). Warren outscored LF 22-12 in the final eight minutes. Isaiah Foust LF Academy Boys Basketball: The junior guard dropped in a teamhigh 13 points in LFA’s 56-44 loss to host St. Patrick (10-4) on Jan. 10. Ryan Clamage added 10 points, while Diago Quinn grabbed 10 rebounds for the Caxys (4-3). Robbie Abuls New Trier Boys Basketball: The junior forward collected 13 points and eight rebounds as the Trevians (8-6, 2-2) edged visiting Glenbrook South 49-47 in CSL South action on Jan. 10. The team also received key
Annie Keller Lake Forest Girls Basketball: The senior tallied 17 points and eight rebounds in LF’s 49-31 loss to Vernon Hills on Jan. 8. Grace Torkelson had 14 rebounds. On Jan. 11, the Scouts fell to Stevenson 59-28. Torkelson had 10 rebounds and six points. Maggie Nick Loyola Girls Basketball: The senior poured in 26 points and added 10 rebounds in LA’s 72-55 triumph over visiting Marist on Jan. 9. Tyra Mills (20 points) and Mary Kate Herion (15 points) also stood out. On Jan. 2, Herion connected on four three-pointers and finished with 18 points as the Ramblers (10-6) took care of visiting St. Joseph 61-45. Nick had 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Sarah Elston had 10 points and two blocks. Lizzy LoGrande Highland Park Girls Basketball: The senior guard scored 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds in HP’s 52-31 victory over Niles North on Jan. 10. The Giants (5-12) also were helped out by Dahlia Cohen (9 points), Sarah Glazer (8 points, 6 rebounds) and Grace Quirk (9 rebounds). Lexy Cook North Shore Country Day Girls Basketball: She finished with 18 points and
Lyons Township (150.45), Prairie Ridge (146.075) and Carmel Catholic (140.675) finished 1-2-3. “They’re sweet kids,” Gildemeister said of her Scouts. “They’re fun. They work hard. And they’re at the level now where they’re getting better each week.” Freshman Megan Wardeberg, sophomore Anika Boyd and juniors Tabby Jeffers, Diana Mzyk and Grace Hogan also performed routines for the Scouts at the 11-team invite. Notable: Straus’ husband, Jim, served as an announcer at Scouts home meets when his wife coached. Each made an appearance at the inaugural Robin Straus Invite last weekend. Jim Straus also got behind the microphone and did his thing. “We got the band back together,” Burkhalter cracked. ■ 21 rebounds in her team’s two games last week: a 58-29 loss to Chicago Latin on Jan. 9 and a 44-14 victory over Roycemore on Jan. 10. The team has an 8-3 record. Erin French Regina Dominican Girls Basketball: The senior center came up with 14 points and eight rebounds in the Panthers’ win over Resurrection 41-34 on Jan. 11. Solid play also was turned in by Maggie Palmer (9 points, 11 rebounds), Maeve Degnan (8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) and Anna Tomaszewski (6 points, 8 rebounds). “It’s a great win for our program,” said Regina coach Kerry Durham. On Jan. 10, the Panthers (10-7) fell to host Nazareth 35-20. Tomaszewski had nine points and seven rebounds. Degnan had five points and six steals. Emily Ablin Highland Park Gymnastics: In helping the Giants to a 122.05-117.8 victory over Niles North on Jan. 9, Ablin took first in four events (8.8 on vault, 8.2 on bars, 9.1 on beam and 8.95 on floor). Avery Spitz was third on vault (8.4), second on bars (7.8), third on beam (8.45) and second on floor (8.7). D.J. Penick Highland Park Wrestling: The freshman captured the 145-pound title at the 38th Annual Leyden Invitational on Jan. 11. He defeated Conant’s David Atkin 13-10 in the final. The Giants, who placed eighth in the 13-team field with 81 points, had four other place-winners: Andrew Cohen (3rd at 126), Dom Ciancio (3rd at 152), Brandon Garcia-Galvan (5th at 132) and Bryan Fiorenza (5th at at 285). Ciancio improved his overall record to 21-2. Cohen is 17-6. ■