Prep gymnastics: DeKalb-Sycamore co-op cruises to regional title

DeKALB – Madison Hickey picked up the first all-around title of her prep career Saturday. Two days later, she added her second, with this one coming in a regional.

The DeKalb-Sycamore co-op sophomore finished with a 38.725, finishing ahead of teammate Aleah Leman’s 38.05 to win the DeKalb Regional on Monday.

“I feel absolutely amazing,” Hickey said. “I’ve worked so hard. The team has helped me so much. It’s just been a crazy time.”

The Barbs finished with a 149.2, well ahead of runner-up Oak Park-River Forest’s 134.8250. They dominated the podium, with four of the top five finishers in each of the individual events. They only had two gymnasts eligible for the all-around title in Hickey and Leman, and they finished first and second.

The team will compete again Feb. 8 at the Glenbard North Sectional with a trip to state on the line, and they’ll be going in with Hickey clicking on all cylinders.

“She’s in a zone, which is nice,” coach Andy Morreale said. “Her consistency keeps showing. Hopefully, she’ll stay in that zone. She just looks really confident. Just by watching her you can see how confident she looks.”

Hickey won the floor with a 9.55 and tied for first with Leman on the vault with a 9.7. She was third on the bars with a 9.475 and second on the beam with a 9.5. Leman slipped on her floor exercise and scored a 9.025, good for fifth. She won the bars with a 9.575 and the beam with a 9.7.

Leman’s beam win came after she slipped Saturday. Morreale said he’s not concerned with the miscues.

“I think we have nine days to come down a little bit, then come back up for sectionals,” Morreale said. “I think she’ll be fine.”

Slip-ups aside, Morreale said having Hickey and Leman at the top of the lineup makes things easier for the rest of the team, but he added that he’s impressed with how the other gymnasts have stepped up.

“Aleah and Maddie are going to do what they do,” Morreale said. “To win a state title, you’re going to need those 3-5 girls.”

By the numbers: With Sam Perri out sick, the Barbs were down one of their rotational gymnasts but had others step up, Morreale said. Livi Morey was third in the vault (9.2) and fourth on the beam (8.925). Katelyn Nelson notched a 9.0 on the vault to take fifth, an 8.625 on the beam for another fifth, and a 9.125 to take fourth on the floor. Emily Jovanovich, subbing on the floor because of a couple of injured Barbs, took second with a 9.25. Sammi Keating’s 9.25 on the bars was good for fourth for the Barbs. Lauren Leman was second for the Barbs on the bars with a 9.5. Bartlett’s Ashley McKee took third in the all-around, almost two points behind Aleah Leman with a 26.075.

Beyond the stats: Morreale said his top two gymnasts are going to install tougher routines in an attempt to boost their scorers even higher, beginning in next week’s sectional.

They said it:  “For going back-to-back, I thought we did a great job,” Morreale said. “In a more physical event like floor, I thought we looked a little tired. But on beam we did well, but still counted two misses. So there’s still some wiggle room to raise our score and hit that 150.”

Up next: The Barbs earned a spot in the Glenbard North Sectional, which will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 8 in Carol Stream.