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Morgan vaults Hinsdale Central to regional championship
Hinsdale Central's Annie Zircher performs a floor routine at an IHSA regional at Hinsdale Central Jan. 31, 2013 in Hinsdale. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 11, 2013 3:19PM
HINSDALE — Shepard’s Skylor Hilger didn’t have a whole lot of expectations Thursday heading into the Hinsdale Central regional.
As a freshman on a one-gymnast team, she didn’t have much history to fall back on. She does now.
Hilger won the all-around with a score of 36.15, beating out Hinsdale Central’s Erin Morgan (36.125) and Hinsdale South’s Maddie Nowak (36.1).
“My goal was just to make it to sectionals in one event,” Hilger said. “Overall, I had a pretty good meet. I’m just glad I made it. I was really nervous because if you don’t have a good meet, you’re done.”
Hilger, who also advanced to Wednesday’s Hinsdale Central sectional in all four individual events, won vault (9.35) and was second on balance beam (8.95) finishing behind Waubonsie Valley’s Jessica Malon (9.275).
Hinsdale Central finished with 138.65 points to easily outdistance rival Hinsdale South (132.35). Waubonsie Valley was third with 128.7.
Morgan, a senior, helped lead the Red Devils to the team title with a win in floor exercise (9.5) and a second-place finish in vault (9.3).
“We were a little worried after the first two events because we added up the scores and we were only .9 ahead,” Morgan said. “We had a little talk during the break and I told the girls, ‘Don’t hold back.’ ”
In her first make-or-break high school meet, Nowak really shined for Hinsdale South. The freshman won uneven parallel bars going away. Her score of 9.45 was six-tenths higher than second place Malon, 8.85.
“It’s great to start off so good in my first regionals,” Nowak said. “I had to deal with nerves, especially on beam but it was really exciting.”
