Girls Gymnastics: Freshman Varua to represent Evanston at sectional

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Northfield Friday, 2/3/12 Evanston's Diana Cisernos competing on the Vault during Friday's regional meet held at New Trier High School. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 11, 2012 8:14AM

Evanston gymnastics coach Chester Jones thought freshman Emily Varua had a chance to advance to sectionals on uneven bars.

He was half right.

The young Wildkit did advance from Friday’s New Trier Regional, but she did so on floor exercise. Varua scored 8.775 on floor to earn an at-large spot at tonight’s (Thursday’s) Niles North Sectional. Varua is Evanston’s lone sectional qualifier, and its first since Colleen Harper in 2010.

“I thought (Varua) maybe would make it on bars. But she had some problems and didn’t finish well,” Jones said. “It was a little bit of a surprise (that she made it on floor). We had watered down her floor routine, but she made it through on her skills. She just hit everything but her second pass. Her second pass wasn’t completed, but she is suffering from a sore ankle. She could even have scored a little better. I was a little disappointed in her and happy for her in the same sense.”

Varua also is the first Wildkits freshman to reach sectionals since twins Emma and Naomi Katz made the cut six years ago.

Jones said he sees the sectional as a chance for Varua to gain postseason experience. He hopes she observes the other competitors with an eye toward emulating them in the future.

“Hopefully, it will inspire her to do better and place better for next year,” Jones said. “There are some skills I would like for her to be working on in order to get ready for next year. At the sectional, she will see others with the same amount of talent who qualified in (several events). I think that’s good for her to see.”

Jones said his advice to Varua ahead of the sectional has been simple: Don’t approach it any differently than other competition.

“I’ve always been under the impression that you have to treat it as just another meet and go in and do your thing, have fun and get the most out of it,” the coach said.

The Wildkits scored 128.175 at the New Trier Regional, finishing fourth.

Some Evanston gymnasts narrowly missed qualification, achieving scores that would have seen them advance in other, less competitive sectionals.

“I thought the scoring was a little tough. Most of the coaches there did also,” Jones said. “I was hoping for some of my seniors to make it through. A couple girls missed by a couple 10ths. But that’s the luck of the draw.”

Evanston senior Lauren Nortz threw a new double-back on bars and scored 8.15, while senior Diana Cisneros turned in a solid beam routine, earning 8.1.

Jones said he expects to build his team around Varua, junior Kayla Beljan and freshman Lucy Bowser next season. The coach said he is counting on the trio taking over as team leaders.

“I hope we get leadership out of (Varua), and we have some others who seem to be showing some leadership qualities now,” he said. “Hopefully, with the experience that (Varua) has, she’ll step up.”