Amid two meets being canceled outright and 11 other withdrawals, it appears we have an actual, real-life competition happening today to kick off the 2022 season, pitting the defending champions Michigan against Georgia.

Scores
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Michigan enters as the very heavy favorite, not only as the defending champion but as the team that looked much stronger and more prepared during public previews in December. Now, this was nearly a month ago, but Georgia’s lineups were sparse on several events during the First Look, so eyes today will be on whether the team has been able to round out the beam and floor lineups with six full, competitive routines, and whether the early bars routines are up to a 9.8 level.

My current favorite thing about this meet is the Georgia press release that notes, “Newcomers Sarah Cohen, Maeve Hahn, and Riley Milbrandt look forward to the collegiate environment as well.” Stirring expectations.

Michigan’s projected lineup features no surprises, with Brooks, Wilson, Wojcik, Heiskell, and Morrison in the AA, Brenner on three events, and Guggino on beam.

Anyway, Michigan’s live scores are still from the exhibition and we don’t have lineups for Georgia and we’re 1 minute 13 seconds away from starting so…right on track.

Touch warmups underway now.

Sounds like a change for Michigan with Guggino coming in for Brenner on vault.
Cashman, Ward, Finnegan, Schild, De Jong, Roberts for Georgia on bars.

Rotation 1

Michigan VT 1: Guggino – Y1.5 – stuck landing to start the season. Some knees, great landing. Good amplitude, very strong start. 9.900

Georgia UB 1: Cashman – Tkatchev a bit low but fine – bail, leg break, shoot to high, a little low, a couple .05 handstands, DLO, step back. Fine. 9.725

Michigan VT 2: Wojcik – Y1.5 – solid work, medium hop forward, some leg separation on her block but solid legs in the air. 9.850

Georgia UB 2: Ward – arches first hs but pulls it back – shaposh to bail, really struggles on bail, large elbow bend on catch, probably no credit for the skill, too shy of handstand – very short hs on high bar – DLO, good, step back – will need to drop it. 9.225

Michigan VT 3: Heiskell – Y1.5 – very good height – medium hop forward – excellent leg position throughout. 9.900.

Georgia UB 3: Finnegan – nice Ray amplitude – toe on to pak, leg break pretty clear – borderline short 1/2 turn on low – nice toe point overall – FTDT, step back into salute. Best so far. 9.800

Michigan VT 4: Morrison – Y1.5 – another high vault but the largest bound forward we’ve seen from the lineup so far, hopping with both feet. 9.825

Georgia UB 4: Schild – good first hs – toe on to Ray, somewhat close on catch with elbow bend – leg break on bail catch – solid final cast hs – DLO is a lot better, too closed in the hips but a solid landing, just .05 movement. 9.850 is high.

Michigan VT 5: Brooks – Y1.5 – lands just a bit short with a smaller step back – great dynamics, small amount of foot crossing. 9.900. I probably would have been 9.850 for that because of the step backward.

Georgia UB 5: De Jong – short first hs – toe on to Ray….ayy takes it too far and couldn’t get her grip over. Georgia really needed a hit for her. Resumes with a bail, short hs on high bar – DLO is solid, small shuffle forward. 8.925

Michigan VT 6: Wilson – Y1.5 – lands with a medium lunge forward, landing just seem like it caught her a tad by surprise. 9.875. Scores got a little high toward the end of this rotation, as expected, but nothing egregious.

Georgia UB 6: Roberts – a bit short on first hs – toe on Maloney, pretty into bail, good legs together – short cast hs on high – DLO, small bounce in place. Best of the rotation, the first moment of really pristine gymnastics with that Maloney to bail. 9.825. How is that lower than Schild’s, he asked to the ether.

Mulligan shows a Yfull in exhibition for Michigan.

After 1: Michigan 49.425, Georgia 48.425

Very strong start to the season for Michigan. That was basically a March-level vault performance for a completely useful score. I think I was at 39.350 or 39.400 for it. Guggino was the strongest of the lineup and probably would have gone 9.950 with just a deduction for knees had she been in a later lineup position.

Georgia, well, not the start Georgia wanted. The first couple spots in this lineup are going to be a problem, but they could have gotten away with this for something close to a 49 with a hit from De Jong, so not a definitely tragic outlook here. Finnegan and Roberts showed some nice work, and Schild’s dismount was better than in the first look, but I think she got away with the large leg break on the bail there.

Word on the tweets is that Baumann has an elbow injury. NOT IDEAL. She’s very important on the other three events.

Rotation 2

Georgia VT 1: De Jong – did it about as well as she could with her Yfull – controlled the landing, a clear pike, some direction. 9.825 she’ll take it.

Michigan UB 1: Heiskell – good first hs – blind change to jaeger, good toes, a little close – solid cast hs – Pak, keeps legs together well – giant full to double tuck, mayyybe a little movement, very clean opening. 9.875

Georgia VT 2: Cashman – ooof. Not sure if she was intending to vault a Yfull tucked but she didn’t get a block at all and had to tuck it and ended up landing on her knee-face anyway. 8.750

Michigan UB 2: Brenner – blind to jaeger to overshoot, good height, just a tad soft – a bit short on cast hs on high – DLO, another well controlled landing. Good. 9.875

Georgia VT 3: Magee – Y1.5 – lands short but pulls it out, pretty large lunge diagonally backward but…a hit. And they needed it. 9.775 is fairly forgiving.

Michigan UB 3: Morrison – nice piked geinger – clear hip to bail, some hip angle on catch there – borderline final cast hs – DLO, drops into it, small slide back. Similar level to the others. 9.850

Georgia VT 4: Ward – good Tsuk full, some of her better landing control with a small slide back, pike in the hips. Good. 9.825

Michigan UB 4: Wilson – good first hs – blind to piked jaeger, not the highest but caught – bail, good legs together, a tad crooked on catch – solid cast hs on high – DLO, great landing. Fab finish. A couple things at the beginning. 9.925

Georgia VT 5: Lukacs – just with the Yfull today, probably advisable – medium hop back, legs on block, some pike, not the amplitude she used to get. 9.775

Michigan UB 5: Brooks – blind to piked jaeger, nice – toe on to bail, slight shiver on catch – she is GOING for it on the border of being out of control – good final cast hs – DLO 1/1, lands a bit forward but not too bad, hop. 9.850

Georgia VT 6: Roberts – Working to save the rotation again with a strong Y1.5 – lots of knee form in the air so it won’t be the biggest score but great landing control. 9.900 Same score as the best Michigan vaults which is fancy.

Michigan UB 6: Wojcik – toe on to her deltchev, huge into overshoot, very comfortable – crisp hs on high bar – DLO flung it out a bit but found the stick. Fantastic routine. 9.950

After 2: Michigan 98.900, Georgia 97.525

Michigan with another very prepared and comfortable rotation with only an accumulation of .05s in there really for 49.475. Wojcik the obvious highlight. Georgia somehow escaped that rotation with a 49.100. Which they’ll take any day for a rotation with a fall and a couple sloppy vaults. I’m a little more worried about vault than I was before, but if they can get Baumann and Hawthorne in here, the shape of a competitive vault lineup is there. It’s kind of supposed to be their best event?

Ahhh the traditional mid-meet live-score death. We welcome you back for another year.

Rotation 3

Michigan BB 1: Morrison – candle mount, making its final stand in college, fine – bhs loso series, large break, step back and a bend at the hips, twist to the side but saves it – cat leap to switch 1/2, not bad amplitude there, into beat jump – full turn, wobble – gainer pike, small hop in place. Got through her first competitive beam routine, but enough things that they’ll want to drop for a big score. Gets out of there with 9.775, which is high for me. The minimum I see would be .15 for the series wobble (hip bend, step, twist to side), .05 for the turn wobble, and .05 for the dismount for 9.750, and that’s taking nothing for form.

Georgia FX 1: Perez-Lugones – steps off because music didn’t start – clear anti LGBTQ+ bias – double pike, under control, chest down – 1/2 to front full, another good landing – switch side to popa is short of split – double tuck is a struggle, very low, large lunge forward and another step. 9.575

Michigan BB 2: Heiskell – cat leap to side aerial, smoothly done – switch to switch, probably good, we couldn’t really see it – bhs loso series, right on – full turn, solid – 1.5, a believe stuck landing. Lovely routine. 9.925

Georgia FX 2: Magee – piked full in is pretty good, lands with a stagger and has to hop to the side as she presents – switch 1/2 to popa, nice popa legs – 1.5 to layout, low on the second layout and a step back – double pike, chest down and a lunge forward. Through it but they’re not quite there on floor yet. 9.700

Michigan BB 3: Wilson – hitch kick, high – bhs loso series, very small hesitation on landing, good power – split jump to straddle full, has to arch back to hold it, questionable combo there as she waited pretty long in between – cat leap to switch side, crooked there and another wobble – double tuck is great, lunge back though. Gave away some things. 9.700

Georgia FX 3: De Jong – 3/1, some of her best twist completion there, really well done, small bounce on landing – switch side to wolf full, around – 1.5 to front layout, better lift into her second element, some leg position – double tuck is another huge struggle, lands very low with multiple lunges forward. 9.375

Michigan BB 4: Brooks – bhs loso loso, great in action, small bend to the side on landing – switch to switch, not her mosstest version but fine – full turn is good – kickover front, excellent – double tuck, big, takes a large bounce back though. 9.825

Georgia FX 4: Roberts – front tuck through to double tuck, secure landing, comfortable – switch side to popa to wolf jump full, loses her position on the wolf and a little under there – double pike bounces back a little out of control but didn’t have the short pass trouble of the others. She has been SAVING Georgia today. 9.775

Michigan BB 5: Guggino – Interested to see this debut – full turn, hit – bhs loso, nicely done, good toes – split jump to straddle 1/2, positions have improved on those dance elements, a little short on split – cat leap to side somi, bend forward but secures it – bhs 1.5 dismount, step forward. 9.825

Georgia FX 5: Lukacs – good height on double pike, small foot position adjustment on landing – 1.5 to layout, a little low and some minorly crossed legs – switch side to wolf jump full, a little under turned there but those positions are better than JO – double tuck, chest down but not the weakest final pass, hop forward. 9.700

Michigan BB 6: Wojcik – aerial to beat jump, pretty – switch to split, nice – bhs bhs loso, right on – full turn, OK – 1.5 dismount, stuck. Well that was excellent. A second 9.950 of the day for Wojcik, very nice.

Georgia FX 6: Hawthorne – high double pike but a large bounce back out of it – split leap full to split jump full is excellent, great extension and height – front lay to rudi to split jump, great position in front lay – nowhere close to the tumbling she’s capable of but a comfortable, clean set to help Georgia get out of the bottom of the well on floor. 9.850

Koulos in exhibition for Michigan, near fall on front aerial.

After 3: Michigan 148.200, Georgia 146.125

A 49.300 for Michigan on beam, which is another good score, pretty much entirely thanks to Wojciuk and Heiskell. This was not as strong as the other rotations as four of the six people gave away some real deductions, and this is Michigan’s one question mark this year because they have to replace Farley and Bauman, but no real problems there.

For Georgia, meanwhile, the situation on floor was pretty simple in that they are not yet prepared for these floor routines and could not manage those final passes, save for the two athletes who were doing 2-pass routines, Roberts and Hawthorne, who unsurprisingly had the best performances. A 48.600 and it could have been worse. Not having Baumann really shows in that lineup. And now we get to see about beam.

Rotation 4

Georgia BB 1: Magee – beat to straddle 1/2, lovely – bhs bhs loso, securely landed – lean on her full turn and pretends to dance out of it – 1.5 dismount, step forward/diagonally

Michigan FX 1: Guggino – so she’ll end up in three lineups today – double pike, solid controlled step back – switch side to popa, short back leg on popa there – front lay to front full, some knees bending – frotn lay to rudi, good rise into rudi, slide back. Good. 9.825

Long delay for Magee’s score. Longgggggg. By my count she had her 10.0 start without much controversy?

And it’s up, 9.750.

Georgia BB 2: Finnegan – bhs loso series, verrry tentative and falls, was off line on the bhs – resumes with a solid side aerial to a high wolf jump – straight jump ish to switch side, she has good leap amplitude, full turn a tad hesitant – 1.5, nearly holds the stick, arm wave forward. 9.225

Michigan FX 2: Heiskell – brings out the double Arabian and its very good, controlled landing – 1.5 to layout, controlled step, good form in 1.5 – switch 1/2 to wolf full, a little shy on the switch 1/2 position – double pike, another solid landing, just some chest position. She has continued getting better. 9.900

Georgia BB 3: Hawthorne – bhs loso, solid, small movement – her switch split jumping was tentative today, short – kickover front from knee to wolf jump was connected pretty well this time, small shiver – 1.5 dismount, some leg crossing, lunge forward. Through with a hit. 9.800

Michigan FX 3: Wojcik – double pike, nails the landing – split leap full to popa, excellent, wonderful extension – front double full to front pike, another well controlled landing – rudi to straddle jump, good control, no travel. Excellent. She’s having a DAY. 9.900

Georgia BB 4: De Jong – full turn – switch to split jump, was tight on that switch but pulled it out and got the connection – aerial to straddle jump, solid – bhs loso series, holds it well despite being a little off, some form in the air – side aerial to full, small movement back. Good fight to minimize deductions. 9.850

Michigan FX 4: Morrison – awesome FTDT, nailed the landing – front lay to front full, loose leg position in the air, controls landing – nice amplitude and positions in dance elements, strong work – double tuck, very secure landing. Great. 9.875

Georgia BB 5: Baumann – ohhhhh they’ve got Baumann doing beam, big deal that she’s able to get into this lineup – side aerial to loso, lean and an arm wave, pulls it back – full turn, nice – beat to switch side, excellent feet – 1.5 dismount, step back. Hopefully this bodes well for her ability to get back on vault and floor. 9.750

Michigan FX 5: Brooks – huge full in, controls step, chest up, nice – front tuck stepout through to double tuck, again solid control on landing and nothing you can take for chest position – double pike, controls the step. Good work. 9.925

Georgia BB 6: Schild – aerial, a little short with a check, breaks connection into bhs loso, pretty in the air but another larger lean on landing – switch to split, good split, some back leg on switch – cat leap to side aerial to full, chest position, step to the side. Ohhhh 9.200. Yikes. Would want to see the start value breakdown there. I thought it was going to be a hit score, if not very high because of the wobbles. But it looks like she’s short a tenth of bonus in there by my count. Still means she got hit hard for the checks though, or they didn’t give another combination somewhere, or both.

Michigan FX 6: Wilson – open full in, controls the step, great – front lay to front full, controls landing – switch side to popa, huge split positions, great extension, actually overturns the combination though – double tuck, small slide back. Michigan…very ready for this meet. 9.950 for Wilson in anchor spot.

FINAL: Michigan 197.750, Georgia 194.500

Great start to the season for Michigan. They looked very prepared with their landings on all four events and noteworthy with their endurance on floor. This was basically a postseason-level performance and one that if replicated in a regional final would definitely qualify to nationals, which is pretty strong for the first meet. Beam is the one question mark for Michigan this season, and I think is still a question mark after this meet, but 49.300 isn’t a problem.

Georgia, it wasn’t awesome. A 194.500 is not a good score, and these lineups looked sparse. The equivalent of counting a fall on beam, actually counting a fall on bars, and a ton of short landings on floor. They need Baumann back on vault and floor and Hawthorne back on floor immediately, but it’s going to be a journey this year. It will get better as they go and find their final floor passes, and maybe hit a meet or something, but there just doesn’t look like a lot of 9.9 gymnastics in there right now.