Prairie Ridge advances as team; Covers in all-around

Prairie Ridge will compete in the IHSA Girls Gymnastics State Meet for the first time since 2002 next weekend in Palatine.

The Wolves scored 146.375 Tuesday at the Stevenson Sectional, which took second to Carmel, then had to wait until completion of the four sectionals to see if they would get an at-large bid. Their score earned the first of the four at-large spots.

Also, Jenny Covers, the defending all-around state champion, gets an at-large qualifying spot in the all-around after scoring 37.200, which was seventh at the sectional. Two falls cost Covers a higher score and one of the top five spots, which automatically qualify. Her score will be second among the 12 at-large spots coming out of the four sectionals.

Prairie Ridge's team draws competitors from all four District 155 schools. Covers is the only varsity competitor from Prairie Ridge, while Molly Sandquist, Kali Herman and Taylor Weber are from Cary-Grove, and Heather Kill is from Crystal Lake South.

The Wolves will learn more about other at-large state qualifiers when the IHSA officially posts that information later.

– Joe Stevenson