Phelan returns for RBHS gymnasts stronger than ever

Even as a sophomore, Riverside Brookfield High School girls gymnast Paige Phelan brings an experienced, veteran outlook.

Phelan is the Bulldogs’ lone returning individual sectional qualifier who has gained further sports seasoning as a three-sport athlete who also dives and competed in relay sprints and long jump in track and field.

“I think I’ve made some progress. I think my routines are going to be sharper and more consistent because of the work that we’ve all put in this season,” Phelan said. 

“Just being a part of a team in multiple sports helps, just the atmosphere. [With gymnastics], the atmosphere is really supportive. Even though we have a lot of new people here, everyone’s trying to help each other out to be better.”

The Bulldogs opened the season Nov. 27 by finishing sixth with 116.05 points at Hinsdale South’s Hornet Invitational. 

Phelan was 11th all-around (32.25) and had top-15 finishers on balance beam (8.5, tied for 11th), floor exercise (8.3, tied for 12th) and uneven parallel bars (7.6, tied for 15th).

Also in the lineup were junior Natalia Maruska and seven freshmen – Cora Rosenfeld, Aaliyah Noel, Ana Bacik, Elly Dickerson, Sophie Dickerson, Renee Murray and Avery Strobel. Other varsity members are seniors Shaylynn Cain, Bella Cruz and Heaven Perry. 

Last year’s Bulldogs scored 125.175 at the Lyons Township Regional.

“[We’re trying] to get these freshmen understanding what high school gymnastics is about. It’s different than the club [gymnastics] world,” RBHS coach Karyn Domzalski said.

“Our goal is to be healthy, no injuries, so we might start out slow and increase as we go. Every year I aim for that 130. If we could make 130 consistently, that would be great.”

Phelan qualified for last year’s Hinsdale Central Sectional in three events — beam (8.5, 16th), floor (8.375, 25th) and all-around (32.95, 27th).

Maruska also competed at the Upstate Eight Conference Meet and regional on vault, uneven bars and beam. 

RBHS scored a season-high 128.95 in their final dual meet Jan. 25, two days before the UEC Meet. The Bulldogs were third at the UEC Meet (124.50) and shared third in the final overall standings with Glenbard East. 

“I would like to make it sectionals again and maybe score better,” Phelan said. 

“If we all just work hard at practice and stay consistent with our routines we’ll have a good season.”

Domzalski said this year’s freshman class is further along in skills thanks to offseason work in clubs, including the RB youth program.

“Seven or eight came with an actual gymnastics background so that’s huge,” Domzalski said. “We have an entire freshman class that have trained or competed in the sport besides here.”

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LTHS girls gymnastics

Coming off their greatest season since their last state-qualifying team in 2015, the Lions are back with high expectations.

At the Hinsdale South Invite, the Lions finished second with a 138.10, just .30 shy of what they scored at last year’s Hinsdale Central Sectional. 

“We definitely have a lot of motivation. We really want to make it to state. That’s the end goal,” said senior Ava Hepokoski.

“We all have brand new skills and we’re hitting a lot more. I think we’re starting at a much better place. Last year ended so well so I can only imagine how this year is going to end for us.”

The Lions return four individual sectional qualifiers from the program’s first regional championship team since 2015 – seniors Emmy Bertucci, Dahlia Highland and Hepokoski and sophomore Brynn Krantz.

Juniors Katherine Tucker and Clare Byrne and freshman Jomie Santos-Morales made their varsity debuts at the invite. 

This was the Lions’ first top-three trophy at the invite in Brittany Milovanovic’s four seasons as head coach. Last year’s at-large team state cut was 141.45.

“We’re all hoping to make it to state as a team and a lot of people want to qualify individually,” Milovanovic said. “The fact that we scored so high at the invite (helps). They did really well and still had falls so there’s room for improvement.”

The Lions graduated their lone 2024 state qualifier, Emily Tucker, who was 12th on uneven bars (9.15). 

At sectionals, Bertucci (8.95 on beam) and Krantz (9.15 on vault) each missed qualifying for state at-large by .05.

The Lions were fifth at sectionals after their season-high 138.975 won regionals. They were second at the West Suburban Conference Silver Meet (137.725) and shared second in the final overall standings with York and Oak Park and River Forest.

Now a two-time state-qualifying diver, Krantz reached sectionals in all-around and all four events. 

Bertucci, a three-year sectional qualifier, also qualified on all-around and floor. Highland made her second sectional appearance in all-around, vault, uneven bars and beam. Hepokoski, who missed the second half of her sophomore year with a knee injury, qualified on beam. 

At the invite, Krantz was second on uneven bars (8.95), third in all-around (35.95) and beam (9.2) and fifth on vault (8.9) and floor (8.9). Highland was fourth on vault (9.35) with her upgraded pike Tsukahara, Bertucci was fifth on beam (9.1) and Hepokoski joined them with multiple top-10 finishes.

“I feel like I’ve been working myself up from freshman year. I can see myself improve and also watch the team improve,” Highland said. “It’s super exciting because we all want to go far and we have high hopes for us.”