Conant's Rink rides off with title

Updated: April 5, 2011 2:16PM

Conant's Steven Rink loves animals. And he knows how to control them as well.

Rink was able to harness the pommel horse to win the event with an 8.50. It also helped him ride off with the all-around title with a 50.60 Saturday at the Burkel Invitational Saturday at Niles West in Skokie.

Rink, who will attend Tennessee next fall to study veterinary science, knows all about dog days.

"I had one of those days last Wednesday," Rink said. "I couldn't hit a thing.

"But today was much better. I was more focused and intense."

Conant coach Paul Kim said Rink is the kind of kid he would let take care of his prize shitszu Marlang.

"Steve is a great leader," Kim said. "He works very hard and is dedicated. When hour becomes a vet, I would trust him to take care of my dog."

Rink helped Conant to a third-place finish with a 139.75. Elk Grove captured the team title with a 140.90, just edging out Buffalo Grove, which finished with a 140.85.

Elk Grove's Damian Zukowski was second in the all-around with a 48.90 while teammate Nick Alcazar was third with a 48.50.

Buffalo Grove's Julian Vasquez won the floor with a 9.10 while teammate Kyle Siebert won rings with an 8.70. Highland Park co-op's Robbie Brown won the parallel bars with a 9.40, Fenton's Eric Owusu won the vault with a 9.40 and Naperville North's Billy Suta won the high bar with a 9.10.

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