Focused Geneva set to host gymnastics regional

Geneva will host an IHSA girls gymnastics regional for the third successive season on Thursday, entertaining the St. Charles co-op and Batavia, among others, at the Mack Olson Gym.

"We're still focused," Vikings junior Ashley Puff said, "but it's definitely more of a comfortable atmosphere being at home."

Behind a standout performance from Puff, Geneva recorded a school-record team score of 144.75 points to win Saturday's Upstate Eight Conference meet at Lake Park. Puff tied a school record with a 9.2625 in the all-around.

The regional champion automatically advances to sectionals, with the top two non-champions from the entire sectional complex advancing as an at-large team. For individual events, the top five finishers in each event and the all-around advance as ranked qualifiers, with the next 12 scorers from the sectional complex advancing as at-large bids.

"Last year's regional was really awesome because we won, so hopefully that happens for us again on Thursday," Geneva coach Kim Hostman said.