L-Way rules again

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DOWNERS GROVE -- Lincoln-Way's boys gymnastics squad has been among the top five teams in the last four state tournaments, which included a championship in 2006.

Following Friday's Downers Grove North Sectional, the co-op squad gets the chance to make another run at a top showing.

As the result of winning the sectional championship by a 162.0-152.1 margin over Downers Grove North, Lincoln-Way advanced to next Friday's team finals in Barrington.

Its 162 score was the best-ever recorded by a Lincoln-Way team in sectional competition. It tops the previous-best mark of 160.3 set by the 2005 state runners up.

In addition, several members of the squad also qualified for the individual finals, which happens the following day at the same site.

For the second-straight year, Dan Hutton won a sectional all-around title, finishing with a 55.45 total. It was the fifth-straight year that a Lincoln-Way gymnast won a sectional all-around title.

"We need to iron out a lot of little things," Lincoln-Way coach Skip Adamson said. "Hopefully our nerves are a little better for the state meet."

Also in the all-around, Lincoln-Way's Ryan Mars (52.75) and Isaac Kruspe (52.55) were fourth and fifth, respectively. They will await the results of all five sectionals to see if they advance, as will those who didn't finish in the top five in the six events.

Hutton also claimed top honors on horizontal bar (9.65), vault (9.55) and pommel horse (9.35), was third on still rings (9.2) and fourth on parallel bars (8.55).

"The events I was good on, I was really good on and the events I was bad on, I was terrible," Hutton said.

Kruspe won the floor exercise (9.5) and still rings (9.4) and was fourth on vault (9.3) and parallel bars (8.55).

"I nailed my floor routine and I wasn't sure about my routine on rings, but I pulled out the win," Kruspie said.

Mars took first on the parallel bars (8.75), was third on horizontal bar (9.0) and placed fourth on horse (8.55).

"It was a good night and we all put together good efforts," Mars said. "It's a good feeling to win the sectional title."

Also qualifying for Lincoln-Way were Phil Guinid on parallel bars (2nd, 8.7) and Jeff Trost on still rings (5th, 8.75). In addition, Trost was sixth on the horse (8.05) and Guinid took sixth on the rings (8.55).