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Mundelein's Hallin hangs in there, makes beam finals

Patience was a virtue for Mundelein's Emma Hallin during the girls gymnastics state meet on Friday at Palatine High School.

She was the third-to-last gymnast to compete on the balance beam, but the freshman made sure it was well worth the wait.

Hallin scored 9.30, a mark good enough to get her into Saturday's finals.

"I was practicing a lot in the back gym," said Hallin, for whom balance beam was the only event. "I was just listening to music and pumping myself up. It was kind of long, since we were here since 10 this morning (until around 5 p.m.)."

It turns out going so late in the rotation had a tactical benefit.

"It was kind of nice to know what score you needed to make it - but it was also kind off a long wait," Hallin said. "A little earlier would've been better. I'm excited about this. It's my first year and I've got three more years left."

Carmel Catholic had two gymnasts also qualify for Saturday, both on vault: Izzy Kropiwiec (9.575) and Lyndsey Basara (9.55).

"It's really amazing and stressful," said Basara , a freshman. "With my team helping me along the way, I was able to pull though and have a great time."

Basara made her second try count as he she hit her Yurchenko pike vault.

"The first one wasn't my best," Basara said. "The second one, I knew that it was going to be my last one competing it for high school. So I went out there worked really hard and pulled it through."

In the team competition, Carmel is in sixth place in the eight-team meet with a 145.275. The Corsairs scored 35.45 on bars, 35.15 on beam, 36.75 on floor and 37.925 on vault.

"I'm thrilled with them," Carmel coach Sarah Mikrut Doyle said. "We have such young girls. Just to watch them and to see how they carry themsleves with such grace and poise. I'm proud to be with Carmel. I'm overly happy and very proud of them.

"Having this experience, ending the way we did on the last two events - they're already inspired to work in the summer and to come back here."

In a highly competitive meet, high scores were needed to reach the finals, with cut-offs of 9.525 on vault, 9.375 on uneven bars and 9.375 on floor.

Glenbard West, in pursuit of its first team championship, leads with a 149.55. Three-time state champ Prairie Ridge is second at 148.75, followed by Glenbrook South (146.5), New Trier (146.275) and Maine South (146.225).

The finals will start at 2:15 p.m. Saturday at Palatine High School.

Images: Friday at the State Final Meet in girls gymnastics

  Emily Weinstein of Stevenson works floor exercise during the girls gymnastics state meet prelims at Palatine. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Fans of gymnast Emily Weinstein of Stevenson High School cheer her on as she does her floor routine during the girls gymnastics state meet prelims at Palatine. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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