THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2008

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Knights Need Big Sectional Effort

By BOBBY CHILVER

Journal Sports

Prospect boys gymnastics entered this season with a big goal and they hope to accomplish it this weekend despite a sub-par performance at conference last week.

The Knights were champions of the MSL-East this season and have been eyeing a trip to state all year.

That won't be an easy task however as the Knights will probably need a significant jump in their score to qualify.

Prospect will be in the Lake Park sectional Saturday night, one that the host Lancers are expected to win.

That means Prospect would have to get in on an at-large bid so every little point will matter.

Head coach Pat Kivland said the team will need to see a big improvement from their 145 score last week in the MSL-conference meet, where they placed third.

"We had a bad meet,' Kivland simply said.

He explained that the team posted a 145 in their first meet of the season and they should be improving as the season goes on.

"We have been improving but the scores aren't,' he said.

The score will need to do that Saturday as Lake Park is expected to post around the 154s. Prospect will need to be in the 150s to have a chance at state.

The other team that's vying for the second spot in the sectional is Conant, who edged Prospect in that MSL meet.

Chris Mattes remains the Knights' top threat and has been solid all year long. Joe Napolean is second in line and will need one of his best performances of the year to help the team top that 150 mark.

"It's not totally out of our range,' Kivland said. "We're going to try and get as close to Lake Park as we can.'

He said the poor meets have simply come down to execution problems but that can all be made up with a strong showing at sectionals, where it matters most.

They'll start the meet at 7 p.m. Saturday and the next few hours will quickly reveal if the squad is up to the challenge.