St. Charles edges Geneva in gymnastics dual

GENEVA – Finishing a meet on floor as a Geneva gymnast is always something special.

Junior Reece Lackey finished it with a 9.4 winning effort during Wednesday’s dual meet against St. Charles co-op, but the Vikings fell short, 141.65-139.05.

“Home meets are always a lot of fun for us,” she said. “We really get excited about everybody. You put the effort out there and then they give it back to us. It’s just a really good environment to be in. Whether finishing first or last it’s still the most fun you can have. Home meets are so much fun.”

Lackey also won bars (8.85) and beam (9.55). Her all-around 37 also was tops.

“Beam has been a little rocky compared to last season,” she said. “I felt very solid today. I felt I was out of the groove for a bit, but getting back in there was nice. And it felt lucky. Beam’s always been nerve-wracking for me. I can’t imagine how my mom can watch.”

For St. Charles, Arianna Halick’s 9.4, followed by a pair of 9.35s from Emily Johnson and Rachel Nicastro and 9.3s from Elle Heffron and Jordyn McBride on vault are the kind of scores that could vault the team to state at Palatine this February.

Nicastro’s been there twice. Johnson joined her last year. The rest of the team is vying to join them.

“I couldn’t imagine how much fun it would be and the kind of environment we’d create,” Johnson said. “It would make our energy go up really good. I’m excited to see how we’ll do the rest of the season.”

McBride’s 8.7 on bars, Kaelyn Reder’s 9.25 on beam and Nicastro’s 9.3 on floor were team bests.

Nicastro (35.95), McBride (35.6) and Johnson (35.14) competed as all-arounders.

“We were out three of our all-arounders to start the season so it was a little rocky but we knew our potential,” Nicastro said. “So it’s been like looking at practice as you treat everyday like a meet. Every meet you’re smiling, trying to keep the energy up.”

Julia Swierczewski (34.1) and Caelyn Donley (33.75) joined Lackey as all-rounders for the Vikings while senior Emma Wiedenhoeft tied Donley for fourth on floor with an 8.75. A fitting end on senior night.

“That last floor routine ever in the Mack Olson was very sentimental, but really exciting,” Wiedenhoeft said. “The team dynamic this year I feel is a lot stronger. The freshmen and seniors have all been super close, which is something that doesn’t always happen. Everyone is so excited for one another and want each other to do the best.”

Donley also was fifth on bars (8.05) and junior Beyza Cosentino was fifth on beam (8.8) for the Vikings, who beat their previous season-high score of 136.25.