For the biggest gymnastics meet so far this season, Rock Island's Shelly Muskeyvalley prepared by eating cake.

``I had a cake at my grandma's, a cake at home, and a cake after (Tuesday's gymnastics) practice,'' said Muskeyvalley, who celebrated her 16th birthday Monday. ``I know. A great diet heading into the sectional.''

Yet, if this week's Metro Pacesetter survives Wednesday night's sectional, and becomes the first Rocky gymnast to qualify for state since five-time state champ Tiffany Chapman in 1993, cake won't be part of the celebration for Muskeyvalley --not even for superstitious reasons.

``I've had enough (cake),'' Muskeyvalley joked. ``Plus, I don't know if I'd be ready to celebrate. I'd be happy. I'd be excited to go. But, I wouldn't be satisfied just yet.''

That never-content attitude is the reason Muskeyvalley in on the state doorstep in the first place.

Just over two weeks ago, the sophomore still was sidelined from straining all of the ligaments in her back after a late November practice.

First feared to be a broken back, the injury occured when Muskeyvalley tried to cut short a difficult dismount that started wrong. She ended up landing on her neck, with her feet over her head.

The injury should have ended the high-school gymnastics season for Muskeyvalley.

Unable to participate in serious workouts, though, Muskeyvalley did what little she could do on the side, biding her time -- praying she could return for the postseason and salvage something from this season.

``It was really hard when I had to sit out,'' Muskeyvalley said. ``Doing something when I finally came back was all I had to focus on when I couldn't compete. So, I was just glad to have the chance (Friday).

``I was really frustrated at that point, and just had to do something to get it out. I just wanted to hit my routines and perform my best for me, but I did a lot better than even I expected.''

Muskeyvalley automatically qualified for the sectional by finishing in the top five in three events -- the vault (third with a 9.275 score), the bars (fourth at 8.825) and the all-around (fourth at 35.425).

The Quad City Gymnastics Academy student also earned an at-large sectional berth in the floor exercise (8.950).

What's more, Muskeyvalley did all of this despite not being able to bend over backwards yet.

That made Muskeyvalley have to learn more difficult routines and incorporate tougher moves on the fly, said her coach, Brooke Jackson.

``Imagine if you're a basketball player and you're out even two weeks -- it takes you time to get your shot back,'' Jackson said. ``Gymnasts don't have that time. If you're out of rhythm even a little bit, you end up on your head, which makes what Shelly is doing even more incredible.

``She not only came back from eight weeks off to compete at a high level, she came back after basically having to start from scratch, and then making things tougher on herself on top of that, to get around the lingering affects of her injury.''

Besides being a fast learner and a great athlete, Jackson said, it's helped that Muskeyvalley has a high pain threshold.

``It wasn't really a distraction at all,'' Muskeyvalley said. ``On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say it was a 3. It wasn't bad. It was always there -- I could always feel it --but I could tolerate it.''

Part of putting up with the pain, too -- and declining to let this season pass by because of the injury -- is the fact gymnastics is nearly a life-long love of Muskeyvalley.

``I started in the YMCA program, walking on the beam while balancing milk jugs on my arms,'' Muskeyvalley said. ``I just wanted to try it out. I don't know why I liked it.

``My dad got me into it. He always wanted me to play basketball like everybody else in our family, but I went with gymnastics, and I ended up not having time for anything else.''

Muskeyvalley does compete in track -- making it to state in the sprint relay last spring.

``I guess I picked gymnastics because I wanted to do my own thing,'' Shelly Muskeyvalley said. ``It didn't bother me to follow in anybody's footsteps or anything like that. I just was having too much fun to leave it behind.''

That fun could continue in college, Jackson said, if Muskeyvalley will let it happen.

But, with still three seasons of high-school track in front of her, Muskeyvalley is content to wait and see what comes.

``I'll do something sports-wise in college,'' she said. ``Whether that's track or gymnastics, I don't know yet. I just want to enjoy what I'm doing right now.''