Girls Gymnastics Regional: Shepard’s Pilcher opens vault to gold

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Arielle Pilcher shows off her medal after taking first place in vault Wednesday at the Hinsdale Central Regional. | Tony Baranek~Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 3, 2012 11:33AM

Shepard senior Arielle Pilcher’s first high school gymnastics event Jan. 7 at the Lincoln-Way Invitational, in her words, “didn’t go so well.”

In her first event, the vault, she twisted a knee the wrong way and aggravated an injured ankle as well. The day pretty much was a disaster.

Take 2 was much better.

Pilcher aced the vault Wednesday at the Hinsdale Central Regional, scoring a 9.250 to capture the individual title. She also earned a spot in the Hinsdale Sectional with fifth-place finishes in uneven parallel bars and floor exercise.

Lincoln-Way co-op finished second in the team competition behind Hinsdale Central (137.575). Lincoln-Way (136.800) will have to wait until all regional competitions are completed for a shot at an at-large berth.

Pilcher, who also competes in track and diving at Shepard, abandoned apparatus gymnastics five years ago, and in 2009 began to concentrate on power tumbling.

“But the gym I was at still had this kind of gymnastics,” she said. “Seeing it every day really made me miss it.”

Pilcher came to the Oak Lawn Park district in October and began working with coach Stephanie Parisi.

“(Her family) knew what we had here, that I take kids to the state series meets,” Parisi said. “She’s been awesome. She’s been very dedicated.”

Pilcher’s 9.250 on a tsuk pike beat Cayley Brenk, of Hinsdale Central (9.2).

“I just kind of felt it, I guess you could say,” Pilcher said. “I hit the springboard strong.

“All my years of high school I really wanted to try doing gymnastics. I finally did it, and tonight I feel good. I’ve definitely been progressing, and I hope to do better. I’ve got a few days.”

Pilcher’s sixth-place finish in the all-around put her in a strong position to qualify for an at-large sectional berth.

Lincoln-Way senior Kaitlyn Neiheisel, meanwhile, had a solid night, finishing second on bars (8.750) and floor (9.375), third on balance beam (8.725) and fifth in vault (8.950). Her all-around score of 35.800 was second behind Erin Morgan, of Hinsdale Central (36.800).

“I had a little spill on beam, but I think I can fix that,” Neiheisel said. “I hit the rest of my routines pretty good, so all I need to worry about, really, is fixing my beam routine.

“Team-wise, it’s kind of frustrating because we’ve always performed well. And to have the waiting game (for an at-large berth) is always stressful. But we’ll try to keep positive.”

Emma Moris and Kaila Pohrte also earned top five finishes and automatic sectional berths in the all-around.

Pohrte, Neiheisel, Moris and Sam Duggan were second through fifth on beam behind Morgan, while Neiheisel, Moris and Pohrte advanced on floor, Moris and Neiheisel on bars and Neiheisel in vault.