Watch the bubble teams like Stanford today. They need a little more of this and a little less “Why are we getting a 9.675?”

After a whole regular season of “We just have to focus on ourselves” and “Results don’t matter” and “We might as well be competing in a uni-meet, and let’s pretend that’s not insane,” it’s very refreshing to arrive at the day when hitting is finally a thing that people need to do. Today, they are consequences. Today, individual narratives about personal improvement and stepping up to help the team fall away in favor of actual competition between programs where it doesn’t matter if you’ve improved by a tenth over last season if you can’t turn it into a victory.

Do any of the seeds have a strong chance of going down? Absolutely, but I feel less confident about that than I did in February. Early in the season, it appeared certain that there was enough depth throughout the country to ensure that a clear twelve would not emerge. Now, with the exception of the 12/13 fight, it will take a mistake for the top seeds to go away, but mistakes are what today is all about. They make everything more interesting, and things often get crazy at regionals. We can only hope.

All the links you could ever need are available in the previous post. 

Last year, seven teams advanced with scores under 197, and the top score overall was a 197.325. That will not be the case today.

Action gets at 5:00 ET/2:00 PT with the Norman, Oklahoma regional. Things can get a little confusing with everything happening at the same time, so here is a very rough breakdown of the different times major things should be happening (assuming 30 minutes per rotation including touch and all the standing around, which is hopefully a very generous time allotment).

5:00/2:00 – Oklahoma VT
5:30/2:30 – Stanford UB, Penn St. FX
6:00/3:00 – Oklahoma UB, Stanford BB, Penn St. VT, UCLA VT, Florida VT, Michigan VT, Ohio St. FX
6:30/3:30 – Oklahoma BB, LSU UB, Minnesota UB, Nebraska UB, Auburn FX, Ohio St. VT
7:00/4:00 – Stanford FX, Penn St. UB, UCLA UB, LSU BB, Florida UB, Minnesota BB, Auburn VT, Michigan UB, Nebraska BB, Alabama VT, Georgia VT
7:30/4:30 – Oklahoma FX, Stanford VT, Penn St. BB, UCLA BB, Ohio St. UB, Florida BB, Michigan BB, Utah UB, Oregon St. UB, Arkansas FX
8:00/5:00 – LSU FX, Ohio St BB, Minnesota FX, Auburn UB, Nebraska FX, Alabama UB, Utah BB, Georgia UB, Oregon St. BB, Arkansas VT
8:30/5:30 – UCLA FX, LSU VT, Florida FX, Minnesota VT, Auburn BB, Michigan FX, Nebraska VT, Alabama BB, Georgia BB
9:00/6:00 – Utah FX, Oregon St. FX, Arkansas UB
9:30/6:30 – Alabama FX, Utah VT, Georgia FX, Oregon St. VT, Arkansas BB

Why am I nervous? It’s not like I’m competing. This is why I would never be able to compete with calm confidence. I tend to favor maniacal doubt.
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We’re nearly there now. The competing AAers are listed at the bottom of the Oklahoma scoring page. I see Taylor Spears but no Brie Olson. Perhaps she’s off beam after the recent struggles. They have options there if Kmieciak is back in the leadoff position because Clark and Mooring have been competing well lately. Regardless of the recent falls, it would be very un-Oklahoma-like to put up beam routines under 9.850 today. 

Oklahoma stream has started. Quad-screen, windows for each event. Someone just warmed up a nice sheep jump and L turn on beam.

Rotation 1:
Ack! Are we already starting? Spears on VT for Oklahoma, pretty strong Yfull, a little piked over and a hop in place. Mostly her usual. Looks like a fall on a release leading off for Iowa on bars. 

Very clean Yfull from Mooring with a small step forward. Good distance and position. I do wish we had some stadium announcement or commentary to tell us what’s happening and provide gymnast identification. Good yfull third up for Oklahoma, Kmieciak in her return, minor shuffle on landing, which has been the usual for the first three.

Iowa’s having a bit of a disaster on bars. Mooring’s yhalf went 9.925, so we’re going high for non-sticks. Olson goes third, essentially the same, clean yfull in the air with a minor hop back on salute.

Kanewa fifth on vault for Oklahoma, best height so far, not quite the distance, also a hop back on the salute. This rotation will score very well, but these landings will need to become more secure at nationals. Scaman finishes with a 1.5, fairly large step forward. The most difficulty on the team but the least controlled landing. This won’t be the best vault rotation for Oklahoma this year, but no problems, as expected.

Oklahoma VT – 49.375 – no sticks, so no better could be expected. Since there are no other regionals going on, it’s time to turn attention to some other teams. No one has broken out of the 9.7s yet elsewhere. A Washington gymnast just had a punch front to her hands on floor. That’s a shame because they looked solid at Pac-12s. That was Northey, who did not compete floor at Pac-12s. Iowa is having a spectacular catastrophe on bars. I thought that was supposed to happen on beam.

Save for Southern Utah on beam on a very short walkover, did well to stay on the beam. Fifth routine for Washington (Bixler? Fetcher is out with injury) opens with a clean double tuck followed by a very high 1.5 layout. Better, but they will be counting a 9.650 already.

Southern Utah gets through beam with 9.7s. It’ll be under RQS, but not a ton.

Now we’re checking in on Bart and the actual feed with commentary. Rogers finishing for Washington on floor. The split half wasn’t quite 180, but the tumbling looked very secure. Pretty clean double back dismount.

Still waiting on the final scores for all the teams who aren’t Oklahoma. No one will be anything very close to 49, so it should be, as expected, a Stanford/Penn State affair for the second spot unless they drop down. 

I mentioned the nice beam warmup I saw earlier, it was Rachel Updike of Missouri, and she ended up receiving a 9.825 in the actual routine.

Iowa limits it to one fall, but it’s a 48.175 with beam still to come. Washington drops the Northey fall and goes 48.800 on floor. They’ll be competing without Fetcher today, so beam becomes even more interesting. Southern Utah foes 48.525 on beam.

Rotation 2:
Hopefully there will be time to watch the whole second rotation before any of the other meets go started/interesting. Where to look once that happens, I have no idea. Stanford to bars and Penn State to floor.

Penn State opens on floor with a clean leadoff routine, controlled tumbling until a minor bounce out of the dismount, fine start. Shona looks good on bars, one handstand concern but a stuck double front. Good start. 9.725 for PSU, 9.800 for Stanford. A little conservative in the scoring for those leadoffs unless Stauder went OOB.  

Washington shows a pretty piked yfull with a large step back. The stream is having a bit more trouble than it did in the first rotation, which was very nicely done. Hong on bars now, the double layout looked like it was going to be high and excellent, but she had to pike down at the end, landed low with a big hop forward. Not her best.

Penn State tumbling looks clean, awesome gienger for Stanford on bars for Vaculik, whippy DLO with legs a-crazy, but she stuck it somehow. Good routine overall. We’ve lost the live scoring. Oh, Oklahoma, you were doing so well.

Shapiro has wonderful handstands and form throughout her bars routine, just shuffles a little on the DLO trying to stick. It could have been great if not for the dismount. Really nice tumbling from Carroll on floor. Very secure landings.

Alex Archer trying to help drop Hong’s 9.750, but this is the nail-biter routine in the lineup. Not a ton of amplitude on her gienger but good catch, missed hs before dismount, two small steps on DLO. OK, a hit.

Penn State will be counting a 9.725 on floor, but these last two routines have looked very 9.850-9.875, so it shouldn’t become a problem.

Stanford UB – 48.975. They’ll have hoped for better but it wasn’t a bad rotation by any means. They lost a bigger score with small shuffles on their DLOs. Musser for PSU now on floor, small bounce on the double pike onto a mat but good height, same impressive power on the middle pass, clean routine. Could have used a little touch more control in the tumbling, but the best of the rotation for sure. Musser goes 9.850 as well. It could have been a bit higher, but I’ll always take strict judging over loose judging.

Penn St. FX – 49.075. PSU up by a tenth after the first showdown. These scores are keeping Washington in it as well. The Huskies went 48.950 on vault after a 48.800 on floor. Iowa counted a fall and a 9.6 on beam, so that’s it for them.
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Now, the chaos officially begins, so it’s time to switch to another meet. I think Florida is going to cruise, so I may not be interested in watching them later. To see a touch of them, I’ll start with thier vaults. I am interested in those landings anyway.

We haven’t started yet elsewhere, so a few notes on this Norman Regional moving forward. Stanford goes to beam and absolutely must beat Penn State there in order to take the spot. Stanford can be one of the top teams there, so this rotation is vital. Washington looks to hover around 49/196, so Stanford/Penn State must start getting those consistent 9.850/9.875 scores to pull away.

Florida just doing intros now. Ohio State is slightly ahead. I’ll try to keep an eye on both as long as I can.

Ah, Oklahoma’s third rotation beat out the first rotation anywhere else. Lots of low 9.8s so far, which is good news early in the vault rotation for Penn State. Oklahoma gets a 9.900 for Clark, so their pace looks secure. Penn State has multiple gymnasts overperforming their RQSs. Important 9.875 for Morgan in the first position for Stanford. Her routine is worth it but doesn’t always get it as a leadoff. ———————————————-
Touch still going on in Florida, Ohio State underway. Penn State goes 49.175 on vault. The pressure is still on there. Oklahoma’s bars scores are going big but not huge.

Pritchett leads off for UCLA on vault. Still in the lineup, but one of Sawa/MDLT should be here as well. A little low on the yfull from Pritchett, usual form, minor stumble on place. More control than she had earlier in the year. MDLT in for Sawa.

Hong for Stanford gets a 9.900 on beam, so the Cardinal is on pace to pass PSU if they can keep the hitting up for the last few routines.

MDLT – She never gets a ton of lift on that vault but she trundles through it. Minor step in place. Pritchett got a 9.800, so that should go higher. Ohio State starts with a 9.600 on floor, Wong for UCLA has a ridiculous bounce out of her yfull as she tries to salute. That should be the dropper. 9.775 for MDLT. Yes, she had no height, but hers was stronger than Pritchett’s. 

Oklahoma goes 49.400 on bars, so smooth sailing there. Baer bounces out of her vault for UCLA. Her weakest landing in probably a month, but not terrible.

Alaina on vault for Florida, absolutely lovely yfull. She’s back. That’s what she was doing before she went out. Courtney on vault for UCLA – the first stick and the first one who performed up to her level. Well done. They needed that score after just a 9.825 for Baer.

Stanford has a fall from Taylor Rice on beam, so a huge anchor routine coming up for Vaculik. This is Stanford’s season.

Zam on vault – hops back. They’re struggling with the landings today a little. Will still be a massive score, but they needed a 10 from her to feel comfortable about the rotation, and this won’t be that.

Marissa King has a rather significant bounce to the side on her Tsuk 1.5, fine but they will take for the landing.

Stanford gets the hit from Vaculik for 9.825. Our first bullet of the day dodged, and Stanford comes in .050 behind Penn State at the halfway point. Still anyone’s meet, but edge to Stanford given the events will still have remaining.

Zam goes 9.900 on vault so we have UCLA VT – 49.225. Just OK and not a comfortable position so far. OSU is counting two scores in the 9.7s, so they will need big numbers from Shaffer and Miller now, which is possible.

We’re not seeing nearly enough of Florida in this Florida feed. The minorest of shuffles for Kytra on her 1.5 and she’s all mad about it. It won’t be a 10 but it will be big.

Is anyone getting any scores for West Virginia? I have nothing.

Apparently Marissa King got a 9.888 on vault. Um, that’s not a thing. Otherwise, the 9.9s are flying for Florida. They should be in excellent shape.

Apparently we didn’t have any scores from WV because it is just starting. Um, pick up the pace, dears. Goot yfull from Colbert on vault, pikes over a little to save it but a clean opening.

Ohio State went 49.000 on floor. They probably needed more than that on their best event.

According to the scores, Florida goes 49.613 on vault, so there’s that. 9.950s for Dickerson and Hunter, and we’re on clear 198 watch.

Zurales vault, beautiful yfull in the air, just a hop back on salute. She can stick that, but it should score well nonetheless.

To answer the question, we didn’t see too many of the Florida vaults, but they were excellent. Scoring probably higher than we’d see away from home but not unbelievable. More control on landings than at Secs.

Sampson on vault, excellent yfull, lands just a little bit squatted to hang onto the stick, but it was extremely strong. This is more the start Michigan needed. They should be in position to drop a 9.800 from Colbert/Beilstein. 9.850 seems low for Sampson. That was a 9.9 for me.  

Sugiyama lands just slightly short on her 1.5, takes a larger step back. Oklahoma has a 9.850 from Mooring to leadoff on beam. She remains in the leadoff position even though Kmieciak was able to return on vault today.  Washington keeping pace with 9.8s so far on bars. They won’t go away in case they get some help from Stanford/PSU.

Austin Sheppard has tremendous height on her yfull, just the one small step back. They could have vaulted better (and have this season), but they should have no problems after this event as long as the others are strong. 49.200.

Time to check in on LSU’s bars. I’m very curious about that rotation. Ranzy on bars, she has a leg break on her bail, one muscled handstand, a low landing on the DLO with a hop forward. Deductions to take but not a problem routine. 9.800 seems a touch high for that.

Dickson now for LSU, leg break on the bail, otherwise composed, quick step to salute on the tuck full, which will be a judgment call.

Oklahoma has a 9.700 (Clark) and a 9.725 (Kmieciak) on beam, so they’re still not in tremendous shape there, but no problems so far.

Ack! Courville flings way off on her jaeger and misses the bar. They needed her score, not just a hit but a 9.9 to hope to keep up with UCLA. Now they will be counting a 9.725 from Jordan and a 9.750 from Dickson. Absolutely huge routine coming up for Wyrick now.

Washington goes 49.200 on bars. Don’t ignore the Huskies. This thing could get very good as it goes down to the wire. Remind me to check in when that is in its last rotation.

Wyrick, very late giant full, hit tkatchev, nice bail hs, small hop on DLO. She got through it, but I don’t see the score being tremendous.

No scoring updates on how Auburn and Minnesota are faring in their first events yet?

Morrison finishes bars for LSU, nice tkatchev, clean bail hs, sticks tuck full – saves the rotation and by far their best routine. The score will still struggle to go over 49, though, so a bit of a deficit to UCLA at the moment. Arizona is fighting against a fall on floor and will be counting a 9.700.

I’m just as curious about the LSU beam/UCLA bars, so I will probably come back to this meet shortly. I’ll also want to watch the Penn St bars, Stanford floor. That will be crucial.

LSU gets the 9.900 for Morrison to go 48.975. They’re right there with Ohio St (49.000 floor, 48.900 vault), but that will change once LSU gets to vault and floor, as long as they can get through beam.

We’re completely spoiled by these four-event options. I’m very displeased with the Florida feed with just one routine at a time. Minnesota on bars – not sure who this us – leg separations especially on transition but a nice stuck dismount. The Gophers started with a 9.800 on bars, and if they can go up from there, it will be a big get.

Atkinson on floor for Auburn, great pike full with straddle leg landing,we cut away to go to bars and beam, but things looked good early.

Meanwhile, Arizona ended up recovering on floor for a 49.100 to go ahead of LSU after the first rotation. 9.900 for Cristello.
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Back to Norman. Dayton gets a 9.700 on floor, now to Taylor Rice, clean double back. Penn State has a low DLO dismount on bars with a step forward from Welsh. They’re both giving away bits and pieces early. Shona on floor, could use a bit more security in her early landings, but they were fine.

Nebraska has had a mistake on bars, opening things up a little bit there and making things much smoother for Michigan.

LSU got a 9.825 from Garcia in the leadoff position on beam, which is huge for them. Two hits for LSU in the first two routines. They’re nearly home free. I didn’t see any problems in Wong’s bars routine except for the lower dismount with a hop, but it gets a 9.750. It was certainly stronger than Ranzy’s 9.800.

Stanford has an error from Hong on floor, so they’ll be counting Dayton’s 9.700. This is the opening Penn State needed, as long as Penn State can drop Merriam’s fall with a hit from Musto.

Minnesota goes 49.225 on bars, which is huge on what has at often times been their weak event. Auburn has a hole now after a 49.100 on floor.

Small wobbles from Hall on beam for LSU, but this is the most secure they have looked in a while. Good hit, and a strong bars hit from MDLT in the background with a small hop on landing. Score says 9.300. Did I really miss a fall. Did she fall at the beginning and I didn’t see it? Thanks for letting me know that she Shayla-ed. Ugh. This team. If they’re not careful on beam, they will give this thing away.    

Courville on baeam and Zam on bars at the same time, both exceptionally lovely work, Zam doesn’t have her best routine, but it should still be an adequate and helpful score, hop forward on DLO, small wobbles for Courville but excellent.

Arizona goes 49.150 on vault to keep that low 196 pressure on. Bars and beam will be a bigger struggle for them, though.

Stanford gets through floor after a big hit from Shapiro and moves to .125 ahead of Penn State. Both teams should be able to stay ahead of Washington with hits. Edge to Stanford since they are on vault while Penn State is on beam.

UCLA just a 49.050 on bars, just .025 ahead of Arizona. This thing is getting quite fascinating. UCLA has a must-hit beam rotation coming up. LSU has endured beam with the most confident work of the season.  49.350. It should be home free now with those final two rotations.

Nebraska gets a 48.875 on bars, and the team finds itself behind both Illinois and Kentucky. Work to do on the beam.
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Everything to play for in the final rotation in Norman. Oklahoma is cruising into the final rotation. Stanford with a .125 lead on Penn State. I don’t think I can take UCLA’s beam rotation in the cardiac department, so I’m glad this is going on at the same time.

Penn State opens on beam, small wobble on the loso, slightly short switch split, clean aerial and back pike. Ashley Morgan near-sticks her yfull, which is new and a big routine to start for Stanford.

 Fine yfull from Rice with a hop back. Auburn is having a huge vault rotation, which will significantly put the pressure back on Minnesota.

Pikey and ragged yfull from Archer in the third position for Stanford, but she got it. No scores coming for this rotation yet, though. Some tentative work for PSU that they can’t afford. Ivana Hong’s vault looks very similar to the video at the top. Good stick with a pike forward to save it. Hit from Dayton. I wish we had the scores, but it’s going to be very tough for Penn State to beat this on the beam, even if Vaculik doesn’t get a great hit. A bit better from Vaculik on vault on the Omelianchik but she does bounce forward pretty far.

Good 1.5 off beam for Penn State. Over in Florida, Sloan gets a 9.975 on bars. Good for her. That routine can be stellar.

Scores update. Stanford goes 49.400 on vault, which is way high. 9.900 is crazy for Rice’s vault that she totally bounced out of. It also means it will be all but impossible to Penn State to catch. Looks like our first regional will go by seed with Oklahoma and Stanford advancing, as long as Oklahoma hits one more floor routine, which just happened with Brie Olson.

Fall for Ohio State on bars in the second position.
Nebraska is having a disaster on beam after a weak bars set. This is getting interesting. Michigan pulling well away, but Kentucky, Illinois, and Nebraska are all in it for the second spot right now.

Everyone is missing for Nebraska on beam. Wong is trying to save it, but even she is having a wobbly one. Nightmare start for Nebraska, but they are not out of this thing yet. They can get it back on floor and vault if they perform to Big 10s level.

Auburn is ahead of Minnesota by a point and a half right now, but Minnesota has its two best events still to come. This will remain interesting.

Danusia just hit beam to save UCLA’s world. Zamarripa had a fall (what is wrong with her today?), and Danusia was in a crazy pressure situation. Great hit with one wobble and a step on dismount. We could look back on that one.

Nebraska trails Kentucky by .400 and Illinois by .525. Both of those teams still have beam remaining.

Final in Norman: Oklahoma 197.375, Stanford 196.800, Washington 195.925, Penn State 195.875, So Utah 194.850, Iowa 194.475.

UCLA goes 49.250 on beam. They’ll take it. De Jesus leads the group with 9.900. Still not out of the woods yet, but they have a comfortable lead over Ohio State with each having one event left. Arizona’s bars routine will be telling to see how much they are still in this. A 49.275 would tie UCLA.

A brief check in down Tuscaloosa way, Utah getting 9.8s on bars. Alabama went 49.350 on vault. Fine but by no means their capability. Florida is cruising, so I’m not paying that much attention to them, but it will be interesting to see how they fare without Stageberg. I think they’re too deep for it to make a significant difference, but if Bridgey is in on floor, that might be a worry.

Georgia went 49.250 on vault. OK, but they needed those landings from Rogers and Jay. No one hit 9.900.  Boise State keeping everyone honest going over 49 on vault. Oregon State not getting the bars numbers they got at Pac-12s. I didn’t know how that would play out since they are still at home, but they’re in minor trouble after a fall from McGregor.

Utah gets a 9.900 for Dabritz for a 49.175 rotation. It’s not big, but no one is matching so far, so it should be safe if beam is endured. 

Kentucky starting slowly on bars in WV, letting Nebraska back into this.
Michigan has a fall from Gies and a lower score from Martinez on beam. This was the concern. If they can hit through, they will be able to get away with it, though depending on how the scores we haven’t yet received went. Correction from Sampson on her series but she stays in control. Good side aerial to sissone. Stuck gainer full. 

Fall from Aufiero on bars. This is the polar opposite of the Pac-12s bars rotation. Oregon State is in trouble early and Arkansas is hitting beam and Boise State hit vault after an iffy floor.

Kentucky just a 48.800 on bars. Not great, but it doesn’t take them out of it yet. A huge opportunity coming up for Illinois on the bars, which Nebraska must get it together on the floor. They are within range but probably need a 49.300 coming up.

As they have done all season, Michigan gets through beam with a 49.050. Should be clear waters now.

Arizona is not getting the scores on bars to challenge UCLA, so it looks better for the Bruins as long as Zamarripa is able to go on the floor. LSU pulling away on floor now as expected.

Fall from Stambaugh for Oregon State – nightmare rotation of all nightmare rotations. You’re welcome Arkansas. Arkansas gets a 9.950 from Grable on floor and suddenly looks like the clear #2 team at this event. Devastating for the Beavers. Obviously beam is a must hit now.

Ohio State is getting through beam, trying to stay in this, while Arizona falls over a half point behind UCLA after bars. The Bruins will be fine if they hit floor to capability.

Florida goes 49.550 on beam, so the 198 looks assured. A bit of a lull in things right now, but it will pick up momentarily. Huge rotations coming up for Nebraksa on floor, Oregon State on beam (if it even matters now, but you never know), Utah on beam, and UCLA on floor.

Ohio State finishes the meet with a beam 9.950 from Miller. They go 196.050. It won’t be enough without help.

Sledge goes 9.875 on bars, interested to see what happens to Utah in this beam rotation. Hughes up now after a 9.675 from Tutka. Good series, her dance elements are nice, buckled a little on her side aerial but managed to hang on with minimal wobbling, good double full with a hop.

Auburn opens with a 9.875 from Kluz on bars. That’s huge, and will really help stay ahead of Minn.

Clark on bars, two missed handstands and a leg break, nice stuck DLO. Jacob went 9.900 before her, apparently. So there’s that. Wilson on beam now, that 9.650 for Hughes seems unwarranted. She struggled but it was more like a 9.750 struggle to me. Hop back for Wilson on her 1.5 dismount.

Fall from Demeo on bars. It won’t matter if Priess hits because they scores have been high. Alabama’s bars scores are going too high and Utah’s beam scores are going about .050 to .075 too low compared to expected standards.  

Lopez to beam now, good loso series, minorly low on punch front but good, hop back on dismount.

Arkansas got through their depleted vault rotation with a 49.150. They are home free if they hit because Oregon State isn’t going to get that far back and Boise State probably can’t keep pace.

Lofgren clean on her series and walkover, sticks gainer full, solid routine. 

Nebraska is not starting well on floor with 9.675s. They cannot afford those scores.

Auburn on bars now relying on Yokay to get rid of a very low score. They must have her score at least in the 9.8s to stay on top.
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Checking in on UCLA’s final rotation, floor, where they lead off with De Jesus which is new. 9.850. Bynum is in the lineup, so this is how depleted the team is. They must just get through the meet then reassess the health situation afterward. Arizona is getting big numbers on beam, so UCLA must hit.

Zam is in on floor now for UCLA, so I don’t know who’s out. Hit routine for Zam. A little ragged on the final rudi but otherwise strong. She follows Bynum’s 9.850, which I believe is her season high. LSU is 9.9ing all over the vault rotation.

Pritchett now on floor, good tuck full, her usual, a bit flopsy in the form and flexibility in places, but this routine is improved over last year.

Utah goes 48.650 on beam, ending with a fall from Dabritz that unfortunately surprises no one. Scoring was tight compared to what we’ve seen this season. Denver moves ahead of Utah by a couple tenths, but still must go to beam.

Nebraska has a fall from Skinner on floor, which means all those 9.6s are counting and Illinois will be sitting pretty with one event left (the beam).

Courtney hits floor, and UCLA can finally breath. They will not be caught. LSU finishes with a 197.275 and is free as well.

Kentucky gets through beam and sets the mark at 195.575, but Illinois should be able to top that with a hit beam rotation.

UCLA will score no longer than 196.925 and will finish with Sawa on floor. Opens with a clean double back, then a slightly low double pike but fine, one pass to go, hit.

Nebraska goes 48.800 on floor and trails Illinois by .650 going into the final event. Nebraska will be on vault and Illinois will be on floor. Nebraska needs a Big 10s vault score here, in which case it would still be conceivable for them to pass Illinois.

It’s getting too exciting! With one rotation to go in Florida, Auburn leads Minnesota by .050. That’s advantage Minnesota because it is the Gophers’s best event coming up, vault. Auburn probably needed a couple more tenths from that floor rotation, and they will not feel secure in this lead.

Oregon State hit beam, which was the big concern, for 49.275, but it will be too little at this point, Georgia getting 49.2s on both events so far. Fine, but all they need to be is fine today.

Final in Columbus: LSU 197.275, UCLA 196.950, Arizona 196.100, Ohio St, 196.050, NC St. 195.275, Central Michigan 194.925.

Back to Gainesville for the final rotation. We’re seeing Sloan on floor, clean 1.5 to front layout. Large hop back for Minnesota on an otherwise clean yfull. We’re also seeing a rather tentative beam set for Auburn which is following a fall from Yokay.

Small lack of control for Dickerson on her double back, beautiful stuck yfull for Minnesota. They are taking this thing. Strong double pike to finish for Dickerson.

Guy on beam for Auburn, nice loso series, steps on the double back but a good routine. King is rocking her floor routine, and one more stuck yfull for Minnesota. 

Over to Nebraska’s attempt to salvage now. Good start for Giblin with 9.875 and Stephens with 9.850. This is exactly what they need, and now it needs to be 9.925s+. Blanske gets the 9.925, and Skinner gets the 9.950. Still alive. Big yfull from Wong with a small adjustment in place.

Illinois will want to drop that early 9.750. Big vault for DeZiel here, they’re going to need another one in the 9.9s, great high yfull with a step-salute. We’ll test the scoring for how the judges treat that landing because it was a college stick.

Clean two layouts series for Illinois. Stiff in the switch split and not hitting 180. Step forward on an OK 1.5. That can keep things afloat.

Nebraska gets a 49.650 on vault. Wowie. Illinois now needs a 49.025 to advance. They have two 9.800s counting so far. This is going to be so very close. Nebraska finishes with 195.875. Kato gets a 9.875 on beam. That’s what they need.

Weinstein trying to hit to get to nationals. Scores late in coming. Clean loso series, good straddle 1/4, clean aerial, small correction on a dance element, stuck 1.5. That may very well do it! Let’s wait on confirmation.

It’s a 9.900 for Weinstein and that’s all they needed. Illinois moves ahead of Nebraska for our first upset of the day! Michigan not strong on floor so far, but it won’t remotely matter.

A whole bunch of finals coming in now.

Final in Gainesville: Florida 198.400, Minnesota 197.100, Auburn 196.700, Maryland 195.575, Pittsburgh 194.775, Bridgeport 194.225

Final in Morgantown: Michigan 196.725, Illinois 196.025, Nebraska 195.875, Kentucky 195.575, West Virginia 194.475, North Carolina 194.350.

Vault was fantastic for Nebraska, but there was no coming back from three weak rotations to precede it.
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Just two meets to focus on now, and I’ve been a bit neglectful of them in the midst of an upset. Alabama gets a 49.200 on beam. They’re doing well, and certainly well enough for this meet, but the scores aren’t flying. Georgia is in control of the Corvallis Regional after a big beam rotation. Arkansas can pull away for that second slot with a good bars rotation now.

Utah to floor, Denver to bars. Utah can erase that beam situation with a 49.3+ on floor now. A little close on the jaeger for Denver, step forward on double back. Deductions there.

Stumble forward for Lofgren on her final loso. Not the start they wanted. 9.675. The end of Del Priore’s routine now, but we didn’t get to see any tumbling, just the final pose. Neither Utah nor Denver scoring particularly well so far in this rotation. We didn’t see what happened to cause Del Priore’s 9.575, but this is becoming a problem now. Wilson’s DLO is clean, secure double back. Her tumbling was proficient as usual.

Disaster for Arkansas’s Glover to start on bars – 8.400. They’re not clear enough to afford to count a fall.

Dabritz to floor, very low on her pike full in, knees buckle but she does well to stay on her feet. They are all over the place in this rotation. They got a 9.875 for Wilson, which will be vital in trying to catch up. Denver is now trying to drop an error as well. Utah will have the clear advantage in the final rotation, vault versus Denver on beam. Dabritz still manages a 9.850 with a buckle, so maybe the judges are trying to make up for beam.

Good gienger from McGee on bars for Denver, stuck DLO. They needed that. Not a lot of content in that routine, but it worked for her. Important routine for Damianova and she’s going clean. Good hit and it will probably score well.

Arkansas is one routine from Salsberg away from getting through bars. Tutka for Utah lands low on her tuck full with a step forward, has to do a little Raisman swimming to control the large bounce out of her middle pass into her sissone. Very good double back. 

Checkin in on Oregon State, Jones is on floor looking excellent. The team has been strong after that bars disaster. Arkansas gets a 49.150 on bars, which is all they needed. They’re closing in now with Boise State recording some low scores.

I was quite harsh on Arizona State in the preview, so I’m pleased to see how well they’ve done on vault and floor. Vault in particular looked very weak at Pac-12s, so that’s a good improvement. If not for the poor bars rotation, they would have been in this.

Stambaugh is brilliant on floor, her 2.5 is excellent in the air, but she does hop to the side with both feet.

Over in Alabama, Denver and Utah will go into the final rotation tied at 147.000. Big edge to Utah because of the events remaining.

Arkansas with such an edge going into the final event that they would need a complete beam meltdown for this to become a meet. And if that happened, Arizona State, believe it or not, would be the team waiting in the wings. I like Arizona State to finish third regardless, which is a major accomplishment. Seeing the ASU vaults now, the landings are a world better than at Pac-12s, but the early routines did get quite overscored.

Both meets in rotation breaks now, but Alabama and Georgia are well in control, and Arkansas and Utah have it in their hands.

Priess starts on floor, clean double back mount, this is just routine for Alabama now, but it will be interesting to compare them to Florida’s routines, the bits that we saw.

Lofgren vaults, pikes a yfull slightly and takes a very large step-salute out of it that a harsher judge coult count as a landing deduction. Big break for Denver on beam, leg up to save it.

Utah averaging 9.850 for each of the first three vaults, while we see another huge wobble for Denver on an aerial to open the routine, and now a fall. Some sort of horrible error or mid-vault injury for the gymnast rotation with Utah. Utah’s 49.400 on vault will almost surely do it with Denver already counting a 9.700.  

Over in Corvallis, Earls hits to open for Georgia. Arkansas could probably even count a relatively reasonable fall and still advance. Grable begins, clean aerial to bhs loso, well completed leaps, good front toss to straddle, small hop back on double pike, brilliant routine. She’s having quite a day.

Tanella on floor, good height on the double pike. Grable got a 9.900 for her beam routine. Four to go. Persinger on floor, good double back, beautiful L turn, just barely stays in on her double pike, slight lack of control. Salmon for Arkansas hits beam for 9.800.

Glover on beam now, this is the big nerve-wracking one, her form on the bhs 1/1 is absolutely insane, big wobble. A bit of a coverage blip and now it’s Rogers on floor, stuck double pike, every so slightly squatty. 

Wonderful Bhardwaj from Asturias on bars, near-stuck double back dismount. Well done. Oregon State finishes with a 195.375, it will be just ahead of Boise State and Cal.

Great double pike from The Shayla. Dance-stumble out of her front 2/1, very nice rudi. She’s showing the best floor work of her career by far this year.

Arkansas doesn’t even need a hit in these last two beam routines to advance.

Final in Tuscalooosa: Alabama 197.400, Utah 196.400, Iowa State 195.400, Denver 195.275, BYU 194.450, Kent St. 193.500

Final routines now in Corvallis, but Georgia and Arkansas have already confirmed advancing. The scoring has been a little strange at this meet. For three routines it will seem perfectly fine and accurate, and then it will just explode inexplicably.

Erin Freier has great lines on beam and can be a great anchor if she works on her fluidity a bit in the coming years. Great meet for Arkansas, overcoming such a rough start to the year.

Final in Corvallis: Georgia 197.425, Arkansas 196.950, Arizona State 195.700, Oregon State 195.375, Boise State 195.350, Cal 195.125

Advancing teams:
Oklahoma
Stanford
LSU
UCLA
Florida
Minnesota
Michigan
Illinois
Alabama
Utah
Georgia
Arkansas

Nebraska and Oregon State bit by the bug tonight. It’s been a few years since we’ve seen two upsets in the same regional day.