Crossgrove goes out a champ — the second Trevian gymnast to ever do so

“I definitely wanted to leave New Trier with my mark there. I think I achieved that.”

Senior Clara Crossgrove’s words, while accurate, understated her achievement at the IHSA state championships Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, at Palatine High School.

In the 48th year of the IHSA gymnastics finals, Crossgrove became just the second Trevian to win a state championship and the first to do so solo and on floor exercise. (In 2017, New Trier’s Maeve Murdock tied for first on beam — with Trevians coach Jen Pistorius’ daughter, Caleigh Pistorius, of Maine South.)

Crossgrove recorded a 9.5 on Friday, Feb. 21, to advance to the second day with the top floor score, and then scored a 9.55 in the finals to win the event ahead of Oswego’s Ana Sullivan (9.525) and Hersey’s Maria Reyes (9.5).

With her coaches, Crossgrove was adding to her floor routine during the week leading up to state, and even made a tweak or two prior to her finals performance, all leading to her best score of the season, one she was not expecting.

“It is just so amazing,” she said of her championship. “I have gotten so much support from everybody. I didn’t really even believe it at first.”

Adding more weight to her performance, floor is not Crossgrove’s trademark event. Her uneven bars routine is regarded as one of the state’s best. It earned a 9.5 at the sectional — the highest score of any state qualifier.

But in the state’s preliminary round, Crossgrove missed her big bars trick and fell just short of advancing to the final day.

“We had floor first (in prelims) and when I got the 9.5, I knew I was going on to the second day. So I had that and thought whatever happens, happens,” she said. “I ended up falling (on bars) and was really upset about that, but I kind of channeled all that energy into my floor routine. If it was the only event I was going for, I would make it the best.”

Crossgrove’s efforts were the highlight of the weekend for the Trevians, who were competing at the state meet as a team for a second straight season.

The Trevians score of 141.00 landed them in seventh place. Coach Jen Pistorius said the team hoped to score higher and compete for a state trophy, but the Trevians were also dealing with some illness that likely had an impact on the state performance.

Pistorius, though, lauded her gymnasts’ efforts throughout the meet. She pointed out routines from Zoey Junker and Anna Virgili on bars, and Paige Sharfstein, who was pulled into the lineup for the state meet, on beam.

“Paige really stepped up there and she had definitely not competed on a stage like that,” Pistorius said. “She led us off and stuck her beam routine.”

Pistorius also praised the meet and season performances of seniors Crossgrove, Sammy Mills and Taylor Kim.

Aside from the state title, Crossgrove was 12th on vault and 17th on bars, landing in 10th in all-around scoring with 36.8 points. Mills was 27th on both vault and bars and 24th in the all-around (35.45), while Kim was 21st on vault.

The three seniors — with a combined 11 years of varsity experience — were paramount in leading the Trevians to back-to-back state appearances.

“They all came through,” Pisorius said. “… They don’t seem to get rattled in competitions. If they fall, they kind of shake it off for the next event and get in the gym to work on it. Pretty big shoes to fill.”

The recognition didn’t stop at the gymnasts.

The Illinois High school Girls Gymnastics Coaches’ Association named Pistorius the Coach of the Year, an honor bestowed upon her at the state finals.

“That was a surprise,” she said. “I’m so appreciative because it is voted on by other coaches. It was a good surprise, and I think girls were pretty excited.

“I’m honored and kind of humbled. It is very nice.”

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