Here’s your start list for the junior women’s competition:

No taking it easy to begin the meet as we open with a couple significant routines. Barros is up first on floor—so it will just be downhill after that—and Greaves opens on vault with her new DTY, the landing of which will be fairly determinative for her AA hopes.

We’ll also have Konnor McClain third up on floor in the first group and a couple key beam sets from Pilgrim and Witte.

OK, the dude said it like “Kayla Di Sello.” Normally I would ignore, but after the Kara Eaker bombshell…

Anyway, if you weren’t on twitter this morning, apparently it’s pronounced like “Kara Acre” now. My world is shattered.

Looks like we have some more tying the warmup jacket around your neck like a cape action, and the mid-90s realness of this is making me very happy.

Yes, the stream is cutting in and out for everyone.

Anna Li is here judging.

Kittia Carpenter is also judging floor. In case you wanted more coaches here judging current/former athletes, which no one sees anything wrong with apparently because we live in a cyclone.

Rotation 1, Part 1

Barros – FX – about to begin, Kim already has “pre-SAT” energy on the side of the podium – DLO, a little chest down, small slide – double arabian, solid landing, but waited tooo long to stag for me, so I wouldn’t give connection, split leap 1.5, comfortably around – 2/1, tiniest foot movement – switch full, some feet position but otherwise nicely done – wolf double, around – double pike, largest landing issue of the routine with a bounce back, but keeps it in bounds.

I just need Kim to de-clench a little in the background. It’s making me nervous.

Greaves – VT – DTY is hit, step to the side and out of the area – not as strong as her warmup vault but much better than Classic. 14.400.

Butler – VT – really strong DTY, good direction, lunge back, some twisting form.

Pilgrim – BB – punch front to split, a little low in punch front – bhs loso series, hit, a bit tight – side aerial – switch to split leap to bhs, smooth series – the split leap was nice, she can struggle on some more of the complex dance elements – aerial, good – straight jump 1/1 from side, a bend forward to hold it this time – double tuck, bounce back

Morgan – UB – stalder full, a bit late – toe Shap (maybe attempt at Komova) – into Pak, nice and floaty Pak – Van Leeuwen, some legs – straddle jaeger, nice and high – flings out double front dismount but hits with a hop

Her toe-on elements are bizarre. They look like they’re supposed to be inbars 75% of the way, but then she scrapes the bar with her feet at the last minute.

McClain – FX – Big floaty DLO, slide back – full turn – 1.5 through to double pike, also comfortably landing, chest up, pace back – switch ring and switch 1/2, good positions – front tuck through to 2.5 with a crossover bounce – 2/1 to bhs, so pretty. Great routine. Some hops on most of the landings, not too much to take on leaps and whatnot

Rosen – UB – toe full, quite late – Maloney to clear hip to dead stream. Damn USAG is it 2010 already? Finishes double tuck with a hop in place.

13.000 for Pilgrim on beam.

13.500 for Barros on floor. 13.250 for McClain

Frazier – BB – double wolf turn will fully flexed foot – aerial to split to straddle, comfortably connected – side aerial, secure – split jump 1/2 from side, a good one – bhs loso series, fairly large wobble, a step and a leg up – switch ring – split ring jump, small hesitation – lone back tuck – double pike, good secure landing

Top scores in the first part of rotation 1 went to the vaulters of course, with Sophia Butler putting up the top number. The best non-vault scores belonged to Barros and McClain on floor, but both went lower than their scores at Classic.

Rotation 1, Part 2

Lippeatt – BB – bhs bhs to 2-foot layout, legs apart there but a solid landing – aerial to straddle jump to Korbut, hit – straight jump 1/1 from side, solid because it lifts one centimeter off the beam – side aerial witha  hesitation – split to back tuck – straddle jump 1/2 from side, also solid, some amplitude issues on these leaps but it’s keeping them solid – double pike dismount is fully straddled, step bacl

Clean full from Posen on vault. Sounds like we didn’t get to see Blakely on bars. Because not a title contender or anything.

Saltness – FX – double arabian to stag – 3/1 with a bit of crazy legs, little bounce – switch ring to switch side 1/2, not sure she’ll get credit for that one – triple wolf to double wolf – split leap 1.5, just pulled around and a little bouncy because of that – double pike, bounce – double tuck, OOOF, just overflipped it and sat it down. Sadness.

Alipio – VT – Y1.5, great distance, just comes up a little short with a hop to the side

Little – UB – toe full to Stalder Shap to pak – nice pak – Van Leeuwen with a some legs apart – stalder 1/2 to jaeger, good distance – DLO, a little flung with a lunge forward

Zirbes – FX – double pike, bounce back – double turn – front 2/1, short with a lunge to the side to save the landing – switch to switch 1/1, may not get credit for all the way around but a nice position – 1.5 to front full, stuck, may have been an accidental stick, but that counts – 2.5, controlled step out, not too large. Good hit.

Miller – BB – candle mount – sissone to wolf, solid – bhs loso, very solid – switch to switch 1/2, low to the beam on those, not quite hitting positions – back tuck, unconnected – split jump 1/2 from side, good – side aerial, large break, bend at the hips, Laurent being a diva about it in the background – aerial to split to Korbut nice – bhs bhs 2/1, good control, small hop in place

Morris – FX – stuck her first pass it appears, though missed what it was – 2.5 to front tuck to stag, really well controlled – switch to switch 1/1, borderline around – double tuck, stuck – wolf turn, slightly rushed and crazy but around – split leap full – double pike, secure landing, chest a little down. Nice. This one, you guys.

No, dude, that was not Lilly Lippeatt, nor Sienna Robinson.

Dicello – BB – gets her triple and double wolf well this time – side aerial to leaps, comfortable – switch ring, some position deductions – bhs loso loso with a little lean and leg form in the air – aerial, small adjustment to split ring jump, so no connection there – split jump 1/2 from side – bhs bhs double tuck, step back. Some things, but obviously much stronger than Classic.

So, after 1 rotation, our leaders are the vaulters, no surprise there.

1) Butler – 14.650
2) Greaves – 14.400
3) Fatta – 14.350

The top non-vault score belongs to Di Cello, who is in 4th right now with 13.900 on beam that shall serve her very well.

Skye Blakely’s title hopes took a hit with a 12.500 on bars.

Morris goes 13.200 for that very strong beam routine, just a half tenth behind McClain’s floor score.

Rotation 2, Part 1

Morgan – BB – opens with hit wolf – side somi, secure – split jump 1/2 from side position, also secure – bhs loso series, hit with some crazy legs and her DEEP preparation – arm wave lean correction out of a leap series – nice side aerial – switch with a check – switch 1/2, well short of position with a bend to the side to save it – bhs bhs double tuck CANNONBALLLLLL lands it with a step to the side.

McClain – VT – DTY – not her best landing, overdoes it a little with a large bounce back – still great in the air

Parenti – UB – toe full, pretty late – toe shap to pak, great legs together position on that Pak – some short verticals – toe shoot – toe 1/2 to piked jaeger, loses form on catch and can’t continue, has to rest against the bar to reset – bounce back on dismount

Matthews – VT – FTY – short with a lunge forward and quite a bit of piking

Frazier – FX – huge DLO, just a little piking down at the very end, bounce back – full-in, short with a bounce forward – switch ring to split ring leap full – front tuck through to double tuck, more control, small slide – wolf double – switch 1/2 to split jump 1/2, pretty nice 180s, just some feet in there – double pike, short with a bounce forward. Not her strongest landings but big tumbling in a hit routine, so should be a useful score nonetheless.

We cut to bars to see Posen clattering to the ground on something.

Resumes with a good pak – nice amplitude on toe shoot to high but takes it way too close to the bar and has to muscle out – double tuck with a step back.

Zirbes – VT – super clean 1.5 and nearly stuck. Small step. Well now.

Lippeatt – FX – pike full in, legs apart throughout but a secure landing – back full to double tuck, hit with a step – split leap full – 2.5 to front tuck, secure, waits to stag so I wouldn’t give that – switch 1/2 – thunder clap in her routine – double pike, step back.

Me: Who’s that little boy in the background?
Reality: That’s Donna Strauss.

Alipio – UB – inbar to Inbar shap, GORGEOUS – Pak is less than gorgeous with some uncharacteristic crazy legs – Shap 1/2 nice – fingertips a piked jaeger, stalder 1/2, fairly late – giant full – double tuck, nice, small step. Awesome beginning, gave away some tenths as it went.

Little – BB – wolf turn double, mostly smooth – standing front tuck, small step back to hold it – bhs loso series, feet, solid – aerial, knees, a little lean correction – side aerial is smoother – switch, low front leg actually – switch 1/2, not quite – split jump 1/2 from side, knees – bhs bhs 2/1, step

Apparently Blakely went 14.100 on beam. Who did she piss off that we haven’t seen either of her routines?

LJR – UB – totally digging this weird 80s leo by the way, don’t @ me – stalder full, loses her legs but pulls it back – shap with some form into pak, that one was pretty – stalder to VL, hit – piked jaeger, caught but can’t cast out of it and has to extra swing – FTDT with a step back.

Greaves – UB – stalder full, good finish position – stalder shap 1/2 – a couple short casts in here – big piked Jaeger, good – Piked Ricna to Pak, good – Van Leeuwen – caught – FTDT, good, small hop back. Did all the big value things very well, really the only issue was some clearly short cast handstands

Di Cello – FX – DLO 1/1, small hop back. OK now. 1.5 through to 2.5 with a hop forward – wolf triple, also hit that one this time – and the double wolf, so she has fully avoided the waking wolf turn nightmare – front 2/1, crossover step – switch ring to split ring full, small hop – double tuck, hop back. Some landing control things, but this will be another big score.

Butler – UB – stalder 1/2 to piked jaeger, caught – Church, just did catch it – Ray to Pak, legs on the pak but she’s hitting her big difficulty releases – stalder full, a little late – VL, legs – double tuck,,step back

Chio – BB – round off bhs mount – nearly falls but saves it with a step and a lean – bhs loso loso series, very solid – aerial, back leg bent – check on split ring jump – split jump 1/2, check – switch to switch 1/2 to Korbut, no series but good individual elements – side aerial – bhs bhs 2/1, stuck, good finish

14.450 for Greaves on bars. Huge score.

12.900 for Karis German on floor, which is not ideal for her, but we didn’t see the routine.

Pilgrim – FX – 1.5 through to double arabian, hop forward but kept it under control – double pike, bounce back, some legs apart – switch ring to switch 1/2 – split jump 1/1 – her mid-floor 2/1 – bent-leg double L, a bit too short of the double turn for me – double tuck, good chest up, small hop

After 2:
1) Greaves – 28.850
2) Barros – 28.000
3) McClain – 27.900
4) Butler – 27.750
5) Di Cello 27.600

Big lead for Greaves, though the rotation order is misstating that a touch.

That shot of Dom in the crowd is also how I feel about the back handspring leg form we’ve seen so far today.

Rotation 3, Part 1

Posen – BB – bhs loso series, smallish leg-up check – aerial to split jump to straddle, overall pretty positions, as she had on bars despite the error – switch 1/2, however, was quite short of position – side aerial, solid – split jump 1/2 from side, well extended – bhs bhs 1.5, bounce forward

We missed Blakely’s frist floor pass, but at least we’re here? full in with a bounce back – front 2/1 to front tuck, stuck – wolf double, just a bit over-turned – switch side 1/2, awesome extension – double tuck, small step back

Alipio – BB – side aerail to loso loso series is right on – bhs bhs layout to 2 feet, also secure – switch to switch 1/2, not bad, and once again no check – split leap to side somi with a huge break and falls. Well crappit, her routine was basivally perfect until that point – aerial to jumps, smooth – split jump 1/2 from side, lean forward check – bhs bhs 2/1, hop back

Little – FX – double arabian, a bit deep with a lunge forward – double pike, really open position on that pike with a hop – double tuck, stuck landing – wolf double is a little ragged and maybe short as well – 2.5 with a crossover step

Di Cello – VT – DTY – hop back but good power and direction and terrible camera angle – she’s having a solid day through three pieces. What we expect from her.

LJR – BB – aerial with a check – side aerial, leg-up break – switch leap to switch 1/2, tight, to split jump – we’ll always have her toe point in that switch leap – bhs loso series with an arm wave – full turn, check – split jump 1/2 from side, lovely – 1.5 dismount, small hop. Lots of checks, but she fought them and stayed on.

Barros – UB – toe full to toe Shap, great legs together to Pak, fab form on that combo – toe Shap 1/2 – stalder 1/2, late to piked Jaeger, hit – DLO 1/1 dismount, small step forward. Another strong routine for her.

13.850 on bars for Barros.

Greaves – BB – bhs loso series, hit – So WAIT we were waiting for Greaves on beam to begin and seeing no routine in the process and then missed the beginning of Greaves’ routine? – Punch front, little hop – switch – side aerial, pretty smooth – double tuck, step back.

Siegfeldt – FX – HUGE DLO, hop back, great power – full in, also nice and high, bounce back – switch ring and split ring leap weren’t really there, low back leg on switch ring – double pike, stuck, just a tad forward – switch 1/2 – wolf double, comes up a little short and then a  hand down to steady herself, I MEAN IT WAS CHOREOGRAPHY – front tuck through to 2/1, a bounce. Tumbling was great, dance will take the E score down to more pedestrian territory.

Rotation 3, Part 2

German – VT – DTY – huge in the air, looked like she comes up a little short with a step forward. Just a memo to the stream, the shot you’re cutting to for the vault landing is helping no one.

Butler – BB – bhs bhs layout, solid, though quite low to the beam – tentative switch leap, back leg – straddle jump 1/2, check – side aerial – straddle to back tuck, not connection – Onodi, pretty nice, but also probably not getting connection to double stag – high double pike dismount, some fort, step

Pilgrim – VT – giant DTY, hop back

Chio – FX – double pike, comfortable, small slide back – switch ring to switch full, not quite there – double tuck, small bounce – falls out of double Y spin a bit, not disastrous – 2.5 to front pike to stag – split leap full – nice 3/1 final pass!

McClain – UB – inbar to inabr 1/2 to piked jaeger, nicely done – pak, high, a little whippy bit fine – stalder full to Maloney to stalder 1/2 – FTDT and basically stuck. Excellent today.

Frazier – VT – DTY – solid, some knees, step back, good height and direction

Morgan – FX – double Arabian with a lunge forward – split jump 1/1 is nice – double tuck, hop back – have we heard this music like 15 times already today – smoothly done wolf triple – wolf double also comfortable – 2/1, hop back – switch to switch 1/2, pretty nice switch 1/2 actually

14.300 for McClain on bars. Very useful score for her there

Parenti – BB – candle mount – wolf single – switch, pause – switch 1/2, rushed but solid – aerial, check – to split jump sissone, breaking some critical combos here – split jump 1/2 from side, bend forward at hips – bhs loso and totally misses the beam and scrapes down the side OUCHIE – side aerial, fights to clench and keep it at a lean – 2/1, hop back

Rosen – FX – full in, pretty high, step back and OOB – double pike, comfortable, small hop – pretty good actual integration of the passage of dance into the routine – front tuck through to 2/1, comfortable – L turn – popa, pause before that element but for the most part the standout quality in this routine is how the leaps don’t look separate from the choreography – double tuck, short but hops forward in choreography to the ground and I’m obsessed.

So, three rotations done. Let’s see where we are.

After 3

1. Di Cello – 42.300
2. McClain – 42.200
3. Greaves – 42.050
4. Barros – 41.850
5. Pilgrim – 40.900

Tight race for the top spot here. Di Cello and McClain both going to strengths. Juniors! Close! Fun!

Rotation 4

Miller – UB – inbar full – inbar to inabr Shap to pak, just some legs breaks but none large – Maloney to tkatchev, hit – very late on grip change handstand, loose back, front giant – DLO, small hop forward.

Sears – VT – DTY, step back

Siegfeldt – VT – Y1.5 with a large lunge forward and another extra step

Di Cello – UB – stalder full to toe Shap to pak, oretty Pak – Toe Shap 1/2, legs right together – clear hip to piked jaeger – toe 1/2, very late – FTDT, a bit short with a hop. Lovely routine except for the toe 1/2, but should score well. Very solid day.

Greaves is on floor. We didn’t want to see that routine so cool.

Chio – VT – Y1.5, stuck landing. Really nice.

Barros – BB – wolf double, tentative but hit – front tuck, deep and has to correct with a leg up dog-pee-on-fire-hydrant – solid loso loso series – aerial to an exceptionally tentative split jump – switch to switch 1/2 – E score will not like some of these splits – side aerial, solid – bbhs bhs double pike hop

13.400 for Barros.

Morgan – VT – short on FTY with a step forward

Butler – FX – big double Arabian with a couple small steps – piked full in, legs apart but pretty solid landing – L turn a bit tentative to start – switch ring to split leap full, nice split leap position – 2.5 to front tuck, may have jussssst gone OOB on that – whip to double pike, shuffle back. Mostly good. She even gets forgiven for using the 4th-worst song in the musical theater canon as her floor music (I said it.)

13.650 for the Greaves floor routine we missed. So Di Cello’s 13.700 is the score McClain will be aiming to beat with her beam. Which she can do, but it will take a hit routine.

Strong numbers for Di Cello, Greaves, and Barros, all breaking 55.

CACKLING FLOOR MUSIC. So hot right now.

McClain – BB – standing arabian, small arm wave – bhs bhs to her gigantic layout – a bounce and a leg-up correction – too easy for her? Needs to be a full? Going overboard? back tuck full, most solid of her big difficulty elements today – really tentative on her switch 1/2, short of position with a check – aerial to a split ring jump, indistinct position but good height of course – bhs bhs double pike, small step back. Good. Some large breaks but she has such difficulty that when she stays on, it’s a win.

Long wait on the McClain score.

14.300 for McClain. That feels a little high for me for this one.

So McClain will end up with a half point lead on Di Cello after the first day.

Rotation 4, Part 2

Parenti – FX – double pike, nice legs together, larger bounce back – split jump 1/1 – switch to split leap full, just a hair short of 180 – 1.5 to front full, some knees, mostly solid landing – switch 1/2, good toe point there – 2/1, a little hop

Matthews – BB – wolf double, good toe point – bhs loso with a huge break that she tries to save hilariously a couple times with leg waves but ultimately has to come off – aerial, hit – side aerial, strong – switch to split to bhs, good series connection – 2/1, solid landing. Really good second 1/2 of the routine.

Blakely – VT – gigantic DTY, truly – huge distance, the most of anyone today, but a large bounce back –

Little – VT – tsuk back layout – wonder what happened to her Yurchenkos. She had a DTY as a baby

Lippeatt – UB – weiler 1/2 to Ricna to pak, hit, ricna really close to the bar – Maloney to giant full to bail with some crazy legs – shoot to high – FTDT, small hop.

Alipio – FX – big double pike, comfortable, small hop back, chest up – double tuck, nearly stuck, small slide – split leap full and switch 1/2, nice extension on switch – back 1.5 to front full, a touch of knees but also stuck – smooth double L turn, right around – 2/1 and an awkward stumble back on what should have been a comfortable landing – kind of characterizes her day. Some wonderful moments but enough errors to take her down the stadnings.

Robinson – UB – piked jaeger, a little close but hit – jaeger, solid – toe on to pak, pretty – toe shoot – DLO, a little low but fine, small hop

Zirbes – BB – switch with a check – switch straddle – a little tight on those positions – loso with a hilarious Halloween-face stagger wobble to save it – front tuck – split jump 1/2 from side, small adjustment – straddle jump 1/2 from side, nice – side aerial, minor check – 2.5, crossover step.

So that will do it for the first day of juniors.

Day 1
1. McClain – 56.500
2. Di Cello – 56.000
3. Greaves – 55.700
4. Barros – 55.250
5. Blakely – 54.600
6. Pilgrim – 53.900
7. Frazier – 53.300
8. Butler – 53.150
9. Alipio – 53.050
10. Lippeatt – 52.900

Most of the top athletes had really strong days. The top four basically all nailed their competitions, and Blakely did well to recover from bars to come back with strong scores on the other three events. A high quality day overall. There were some falls and crazy things because juniors, but some really impressive performances as well.

McClain’s probably going to need to have an error on day 2 to let anyone else in, because if she performs like this again…