May 03, 2025
Sports

Ben Szot, Lucas Cooperman lead hard-working Wheaton co-op gymnastics to state trophy

By BILL STONE
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Wheaton co-op gymnast Ben Szot competes on rings on May 16 in the individual finals at the state meet. Szot finished second in the all-around and made four event finals, placing third on rings. (Bill Ackerman)

HINSDALE – Wheaton co-op senior Ben Szot lost out on the chance to compete in all six events at the 2014 boys gymnastics team state meet.

On May 15, he performed in all six events and nearly won the state all-around championship in the state meet at Hinsdale Central.

“I put a lot of effort and a lot of work in the gym,” Szot said.

Szot and his teammates turned a supposed rebuilding season into a fifth straight top-three state trophy.

Wheaton co-op was second to Stevenson after winning the previous three state titles.

Szot was second in the all-around (52.55) to Niles West junior Nomondalai Jamiyankhuu (52.70). Szot and junior Lucas Cooperman added seven top-five individual all-state medals Saturday.

“We exceeded all of our goals and expectations,” Szot said. “I hit all of my routines this weekend, which was quite amazing.”

Wheaton co-op graduated the top two state all-around finishers yet still posted the highest sectional score (season-high 153.15) after opening the season at 137.70.

“Ben really stepped up as an all-arounder, almost ended up winning, and Lucas really developed,” Wheaton co-op coach Greg Gebhardt said. “Any time you’re in the hunt for a trophy, you’ve got to get excited because it doesn’t happen every year. This year we had a talented team as well, but they really had to work for it.”

Wheaton co-op nearly became the second team to win four straight titles but came up just short of surging Stevenson.

“Stevenson deserved it. They earned it,” Cooperman said. “They worked hard and beat us, but we did a great job, too, and we should be proud of that.”

Szot was third on still rings (9.05), just 0.05 behind the co-champions, third on parallel bars (8.95), fourth on horse (9.0) and eighth on vault (8.85).

Cooperman was second on parallel bars (9.0) and fourth on floor (9.2). He was 13th in all-around (49.45).

Seniors Adam DeCrane, Joey Drummond and Alec Modransky, sophomore Austin Tate and freshman Aiden Moran also were individual qualifiers.

In 2014, Szot lost his team state spot on high bar to Cooperman after a challenge at practice. They concluded Saturday’s meet by sharing the fourth-place medal in that event with scores of 8.25.

“I thought that was a perfect ending to how hard (Cooperman) and I work in the gym,” Szot said.

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State final team scores

1. Stevenson, 151.650

2. Wheaton co-op, 149.40

3. Niles West,149.0

4. Willowbrook, 148.550

5. Glenbard West, 148.250