PR's Covers leaves ’em wowed

Prairie Ridge senior Jenny Covers is congratulated by teammates after competing on the uneven bars Saturday at the IHSA Girls Gymnastics State Meet in Palatine. Covers won the uneven bars and vault Saturday after winning the first-place medal in the all-around Friday. (Jeff Krage – For the Northwest Herald) ( ())

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PALATINE – Jenny Covers went out with a bang, even if it was without another gold medal.

The Prairie Ridge senior did not repeat as floor exercise champion at the IHSA Girls Gymnastics State Meet at Palatine, although she hardly was discouraged.

Covers walked away with three state titles and the satisfaction of doing something that, to the best of any observers’ knowledge at the meet, was a first in state meet history.

On Covers’ first tumbling pass in her floor routine, she completed a double-back flip in layout position. Prairie Ridge coach Lee Battaglia asked around and no one could remember that feat being performed at the state high school meet.

“That’s better than getting first place [in floor],” Covers said.

Covers started Saturday’s finals by winning vault and uneven bars, both with scores of 9.85. Along with her all-around title from Friday, Covers has seven first-place medals in her three state meets. The fourth-place finish in floor exercise brought her career medal total to 11.

“She’s going to be known more for that double-lay than anything,” Battaglia said. “That’s elite-level stuff.”

Prairie Ridge junior Nikki Novak scored 9.6 on her uneven bars routine to take fourth place in that event.

Covers’ vault title was her third in a row. She did a popular vault, the Yurchenko, in which the competitor does a round-off onto a springboard, then a double-back flip after pushing off the vault. Covers added a full twist with the flips.

“It’s nice that people are doing the same skill, but mine was a little prettier,” Covers said.

On the bars routine, Covers landed her double-back flip in layout position flawlessly for the 9.85. She scored 9.625 in Friday’s preliminaries.

“Sticking the dismount in high school is huge,” Battaglia said. “That was the difference today.”

Covers fell on her balance beam routine and scored 9.0. She then came back with her floor routine and a special treat for the crowd. She came up slightly short and took a step forward. Battaglia thought her second tumbling pass was a bit off.

“That’s the first time I’ve done the double-lay in competition,” Covers said. “It’s not going to be perfect the first time, but I’m glad I did it.”

Covers is one of seven girls who won multiple state all-around titles, and her name likely will be mentioned in future years as one of the best ever.

“It’s sad it’s over,” she said. “When I was little, I wasn’t very good, but I was always striving to get better and better. It’s nice to see this.”

Novak gained some valuable state-meet experience to help the Wolves next year, when Battaglia says his team will be stronger top to bottom, even though Covers will be competing at Minnesota.

“I was a little freaked out when they had the camera zoomed in on my face,” said Novak, who saw herself on the big screen before her uneven bars routine. “I’m happy that I placed in my first state meet. I’m happy that I hit my routine.”