Girls Gymnastics: Lyons’ Kelsey Kurfist claims all-around at Fremd

Updated: January 14, 2012 6:19PM

Lyons’ Kelsey Kurfist is becoming comfortable competing in high school meets.

It showed Saturday at the Mari-Rae Sopper Invitational at Fremd in Palatine. Kurfist, who is a freshman, scored a career-best 38.10 to win the all-around title.

“It is later in the season, so I am adjusting quite well,” Kurfist said. “I am getting more consistent as the year goes on and I am happy about that.”

Kurfist won all four individual events as well.

Kurfist scored a 9.50 on the floor. She then landed her Layout Yurchenko on the vault to score a 9.65, won the bars with a 9.55 and finished with a flip-flop, flip-flop, layout-stepout on the beam to win the beam with a 9.40.

“It really helps to start on the floor,” Kurfist said. “It really gets me pumped up.”

“We added two new skills to her competition and she made them,” Lyons coach Katherine Karubas-Powell said. “She has something that coaches just can’t train. She loves competition so much.”

Fremd won the invitational with a season-best 147.60. Lyons was second with a 142.325 while Naperville Central was third with a 138.725.

“By far it was our best meet yet,” said Fremd coach Tim Hamman, who is in his first year as head coach.

“I think they are finally getting their confidence. Since winter break, we are much healthier too.”

That healthiest did not include Fremd all-arounder Stephanie Gallo, who was sidelined with appendicitis. But the Vikings got strong performances from Shannon Lemanjeur, who was second in the all-around with a 37.20 and Stephanie Uhlrich, who was third with a 36.575.

Sydney Pichta was second on the bars for the Vikings with a 9.50 while Christine Jensen was second on the beam with a 9.35.

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