Oak Park and River Forest High School senior girls gymnast Maya Lim had mixed emotions after her fourth varsity West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet on Jan. 28.
“It feels like this is my last time and it’s kind of bittersweet, but I also just want to do my best, too, and as a team,” Lim said. “I think I just did that here.”
Lim finished as she started – with a top-five all-conference medal – by taking fifth on vault (9.0) and was joined by juniors Violet Ruff and Jane Walker on the awards stand at York High School in Elmhurst.
Ruff tied for third on vault (9.15) and Walker was fourth in all-around (34.40) and uneven parallel bars (8.7) for their first all-conference honors.
The Huskies (134.15) tied for third with Lyons Township just behind Hinsdale Central (134.425). They share second in the overall standings with Hinsdale Central by virtue of their Jan. 11 dual victory.
Lim was sixth in all-around as a sophomore and junior and sixth on vault in 2022. Lim’s all-around on Jan. 28 (11th, 33.675) actually was higher than her last all-conference medal for fifth as a freshman (33.525).
“[Today overall] means a lot more,” Lim said. “This is our team so it’s a lot more important than the other meets for me.”
Walker improved a point from tying for eighth in all-around last year (33.375).
Walker said. “Bars has always been my favorite event since I was really little,” Walker said. “I’m just glad I’m able to enjoy it again.”
Ruff landed her tuck Yurchenko vault to improve from 12th in 2002. Her all-around also improved to 32.90 from 32.20.
“I like the actual [vault] runway that’s here at York. I feel like the vault gives me more of a block off the table,” Ruff said. “When I landed, I was really happy.”
Walker also was sixth on vault (8.95), Lim was eighth on uneven bars (8.2), Walker and Lim shared eighth on floor exercise (8.525), senior Caroline Raducha was 10th on vault (8.75) and Walker tied for 10th on beam (8.225).
“The majority of them did really well,” OPRF coach Kris Wright said. “We had one or two overexcited girls. We gave away a fall on beam and two falls [off uneven bars]. They did really well on vault, on floor.”
The Huskies hope to qualify again as a team for the IHSA Lake Park Sectional on Feb. 6 with performances at the IHSA Leyden Regional on Feb. 2.
Six teams advance. OPRF officially is seeded No. 6 based on scores up to Jan. 11 and is No. 7 including scores since. Gymnasts also advance individually.
“I think we can make it to sectionals if we all just do our best and no mishaps happen,” Lim said. “Either way, I think we’re going to do well.”
