About one month after a successful second-place finish at the 2023 boys gymnastics state meet, senior Nick Peterson and his Lyons Township High School teammates received the bad news: The IHSA Board of Directors voted June 12 to drop boys gymnastics as a sport sanctioned by the association.
“My first instinct was to be a little disappointed for sure, but nothing’s really changed that much,” Peterson said. “Everybody just needs to focus on what needs to get done. I think we can still focus on our goal of winning state.”
Boys gymnastics continues this season as a club sport, overseen by the Illinois High School Boys Gymnastics Coaches Association. And the Lions once again are among the state’s best. They opened Friday with a victorious 147.20 points at Hinsdale Central’s Mark Wanner Invitational.
Senior all-arounders Matt Adler and Will Taylor and Peterson are team captains. Senior Ryan Evans, juniors Devon Mackenzie, Sean McCabe and Drake Levreau and sophomores TJ Carr and Ryan Renderman also return from last year’s state lineup that took second (season-high 156.20 points) to Lake Park (162.95).
This was the program’s third straight top-three trophy and sixth straight state appearance. Freshmen Luca Depa and all-arounder Chris Yeates are key newcomers.
“We’re in good shape. Really we figure ourselves to be a 153 team at this point,” LTHS coach Sam Zeman said.
“[Our key is] just working a lot of routines and consistency and form. Everybody knows what their goals are for themselves. They just have to work through them.”
The Lions were third in 2022 after their first state title in 2021. Last season, Taylor individually advanced to state in all-around and all six events and reached the event finals on still rings (9th, 8.05). Evans (rings), Mackenzie (floor exercise), Carr (pommel horse) and Renderman (parallel bars) also were individual event qualifiers.
Adler did not qualify individually because he did not compete at sectionals. He joined the team at state after competing at USAG club nationals, and his 54.85 all-around total would have finished third in the individual competition.
Just back from his third state diving berth, Adler won all-around (54.40) and horizontal bar (9.5) Friday, tied for first on horse (8.9) and was second on floor (9.3), rings (9.0) and parallel bars (8.9). Taylor won vault (9.2) with a personal-best 51.20 all-around for third.
“I think it feels the same as last year,” Adler said. “There’s a lot of new guys that will be getting scores for us. We’re going to be a lot better this year, improve a lot.”
The state meet will continue to be held at Hoffman Estates High School with a new qualification format. Ten teams advance to state rather than eight, based on four sectionals where all results will be combined.
The state’s number of teams has gone from 40 to 33. Friday’s invite was down to four teams, but the Lions’ home Paul Omi Invite, Friday, will have seven as usual, including Lake Park and seventh-place state finisher Downers Grove North.
“It maybe feels a little different. [Friday’s] meet was kind of unexpectedly small. We’re going to try and make the most out of this regardless, kind of not try to dwell on the whole IHSA thing,” Taylor said. “There’s a good amount of energy left. We had a really good turnout. We’re really determined to make a mark again as we have the past few years. We’re totally prepared to get at least top three.”
Not much has changed for the Lions in terms of participation either. They have 28 gymnasts with 10 freshmen. Zeman said more should be coming out.
“I kept them informed [last summer] and told them we would have as little change as possible so they could make the most out of their high school experience,” Zeman said.
“And with the support of [LTHS athletic director] John Grundke and the administration in general, it’s working out very well.”