DeKalb-Sycamore gymnastics ready for sectionals

SYCAMORE – For the past two years, the DeKalb-Sycamore co-op team has cruised through the postseason until the state championship, claiming second both years to Prairie Ridge.

This year is different as the Barbs prepare for the IHSA Lake Park Sectional on Thursday. They'll be going into the sectional with the third-highest score of the teams there – a decided underdog role.

"I kind of like it," coach Andy Morreale said. "The kids are hungry but not too tense. They are right at the right spot."

The Barbs posted a 145.3 at the Oak Park-River Forest Regional to claim the win. But Wheaton Warrenville South put up a 145.875 at its regional, while Glenbard West notched a 149.95.

The winner of each of the four sectionals will advance to state, as will the next four highest scores.

"I kind of like being the underdog," said Madison Hickey, who won all four events at the regional. "The other teams suspect nothing out of us because we lost two of our greatest team members. I think it's a good thing we're underdogs so when we go there they'll be really surprised."

Morreale said he felt like the team can easily boost its score a point and a half – he said the vault has been improved, not to mention the Barbs counted falls on the floor and the bars.

Hickey as emerged as the top point-earner for the Barbs this year after Aleah Leman graduated. Leman won multiple state titles in her four years.

This year, Morreale said the team is far more balanced than it has been in the past, with gymnasts like Sam Keating and Lauren Leman upping their games from a year ago and freshman Miranda Maciejewski contributing as well.

"I think we're deeper than last year," Morreale said. "We had those two high scorers last year. This year, girls like Sam Keating have really stepped up so we're more even across the board. If Lauren or Madison had an off day, we were kinda in trouble. Now we can have an off day because these kids are right there."

Keating said the team has a different mind set compared to last year. She said the team went into most events expecting a win, and working to make those expectations come true.

This year, she said the hard work is a necessity if the Barbs expect to compete.

"Last year it was kind of like we kind of expected to be a kind of guaranteed-type of win, and this year it's not," Keating said. "I mean, it wasn't guaranteed last year, but we went at it like it was. This year we have to work as hard as we possibly can – and we did last year too – but this year it's absolutely necessary."