Emma Jane Rohrer’s high school debut earlier this season was one of the worst meets of her life, she said, but it could have been worse.
“I luckily did not get injured,” Rohrer said. “My mom was like, ‘I don’t care how well you [did], I’m just so glad you didn’t get injured.’ “
Rohrer, a sophomore, left that dual meet against Maine East healthy, yet two of her teammates weren’t as lucky. Freshman Zoey Spangler and senior Peyton Burns both suffered injuries on Thursday, Dec. 3, that will likely turn out to be season-ending. Spangler tore a ligament in her right knee during the meet. She’s since had surgery to repair the ligament. Burns broke her left heel as she was warming up beforehand.
Losing both gymnasts was season-altering, but especially Burns.
“She would have been like a mid-36s, 37 all-arounder,” New Trier coach Jen Pistorius said of the Level 10 gymnast. “That [injury] was huge for us.”
But New Trier didn’t allow it to be crippling. That was evident during their second-place finish at the Central Suburban South conference meet on Saturday, Jan. 30, in Northfield.
Maine South emerged with its first outright Central Suburban South title by edging the Trevians 140.725-140.525 at the conference meet. Glenbrook South finished third (139.775) at the meet and in the conference standings. In the league standings, a team gets a point for a dual-meet victory — New Trier, Maine South and the Titans were all 3-1 — and one point for each school it finishes in front of at the conference meet.
The Trevians nearly won the Central Suburban South thanks in large part to Rohrer.
Rohrer, a Level 10 gymnast who chose to do club gymnastics as a freshman, won three events and the all-around (36.90). She took first on vault (9.325), uneven bars (9.05) and floor exercise (9.50).
Rohrer finished fifth on balance beam (9.025), but her performance on that event — including a fall in the middle of her routine — was a telling example of what makes her exceptional.
“She’s just so naturally talented,” New Trier senior Ana Dabrowski said. “Even if she falls on beam, she still [puts] up a really high score because everything else is just so clean.”
Rohrer fell on beam, but she didn’t let her disappointment carry over. Her fourth and final event was floor exercise, which she executed almost flawlessly.
“A fall’s a fall,” Rohrer said. “You always feel bad about it, but you’ve got to put it behind you and move on to your next event. I think that really worked out for me, getting a really good score on floor.”
Rohrer was the stand-out performer for New Trier at the conference meet, but several of her teammates made crucial contributions. Junior Ally Smith had the meet of her life, Pistorius said afterward, and finished fourth on beam (9.05) and third on floor exercise (9.15). Dabrowski was second on floor exercise (9.25). Senior Taylor Kwok tied for second on vault (9.30), and senior Lauren Chung finished seventh on vault (9.075).
The fact that several gymnasts contributed to the team score was in line with how New Trier responded to losing Burns.
“Peyton has always been a really key gymnast for our team,” Rohrer said. “I feel like we all tried to push ourselves even more to … make sure we all pull our weight and do our best.”
Maine South
Entering their dual meet against Glenbrook South on Thursday, Jan. 21, the Hawks were in excellent position to win their first outright Central Suburban South title. But the Titans defeated Maine South 139.45-136.15.
That left Maine South, New Trier and Glenbrook South all with 3-1 records entering the conference meet. The meet in essence became a winner-take-all event, and the Hawks prevailed.
“It’s a really big accomplishment for all of us,” Maine South junior Alysa Chiovatero said. “We worked really hard all season. It’s really nice to win.”
Chiovatero finished third in the all-around (35.725). She was second on beam (9.425) — Glenbrook South sophomore Bebe Haramaras was first (9.575) — and she tied with Haramaras for third on uneven bars (8.575).
The key to the Hawks’ victory was its depth. Six different gymnasts had top-five finishes in at least one event. Junior Sara Ignoffo and freshman Caleigh Pistorius tied for fourth on vault (9.25). Senior Carly Berns and sophomore Micayla Paterno tied for fifth on uneven bars (8.55). Freshman Cristina DeFilippis tied for fourth on floor exercise (9.10).
It was a true team effort.
Evanston, Glenbrook South, Niles West
The Wolves finished fourth overall (131.85). The Wildkits were fifth (112.35). Haramaras took second in the all-around (36.45).
Full results can be found here: www.meetscorer.com/results/MQHuMPeJt7i2hz8YAk9AKh/
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @VanDrilSports
