Friday, January 5
4:00pm ET/ 1:00pm PT	Super 16 A [10] Denver [21] Washington Illinois San Jose State	SCORES	YT
6:00pm ET/ 3:00pm PT	Penn State, Pitt, Temple @ Penn	SCORES	ESPN+
7:00pm ET/ 4:00pm PT	Hamline @ Oshkosh		Home Away
7:30pm ET/ 4:30pm PT	Ball State, Utah State, Rutgers @ North Carolina	SCORES	ACC+
7:30pm ET/ 4:30pm PT	Nebraska @ Iowa State	SCORES	ESPN+
8:30pm ET/ 5:30pm PT	[14] Ohio State @ [3] LSU	SCORES	SECN
9:00pm ET/ 6:00pm PT	Boise State @ [4] Utah	SCORES	FREE
10:00pm ET/ 7:00pm PT	Super 16 B [1] Oklahoma [6] Michigan [9] Kentucky [11] Michigan State	SCORES	YT

And so we meet again.

The 2024 season begins today with the opening session of the Super Late 16, the second edition of this Las Vegas mystery meet that has perfected tardiness as an act of cruelty. I particularly loved the announcement that the meet will be streaming on YouTube and how yesterday it was.

In addition to discourteousness, this year’s meet is also sponsored by the realization that toxically nostalgic millennials are adults with money now—a.k.a. Mean Girls the Movie of the Musical of the Movie—asking the question, how many times can you clone something until it stops being able to walk in a straight line?

Session two, featuring four of the top 12 teams, will headline the day’s action, flanked by several non-Mean Girls-centric meets including Ohio State’s visit to LSU and Utah’s new-era opener against Boise State. Strap in.

Oh, and another thing. This meet is calling itself the Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championships. You are the first week. This is not a championship.

We officially have a YouTube link. Looks like Virtius is also going to have a scoreboard stream on YouTube, which seems promising if you’re me and would take live scores over live video any day because you’re not well.

Did the guy just introduce them as the “Denver Broncos”?

Jess and DD on the call talking about these kids today with their TikToks. DD liked that you don’t have to go outside to get from the hotel to the venue. Jess says Suni is “getting better” and “working through the process.”

Rotation 1

Innes – VT – Washington – yfull, very strong start – good distance, just a little bit of pike. Nice.

Townes – BB – Illinois – switch to straddle 1/4, hit, a little tight – cat leap to side aerial, good amplitude, slight check on landing – bhs loso, small foot adjustment – full turn, little check – 1.5 dismount with an open tuck, hop forward.

We have a 9.800 in for Casali on vault. And a 9.875 for a Yfull for Innes for Washington.

Rorich – UB – Denver – blind change, holds it to jaeger, loses foot form at the end – short cast hs on high – bail, a bit of arch on catch, pulls it back, some short handstands in here – DLO is well done.

Now we’re just seeing Jess and DD watching vault, which is cool. DD just called him Greg and then tried to pretend that was an accident because of his twin brother, even though his twin brother’s name is Jeff.

Schrady 9.725 vault for Washington.

Forrand  – FX – SJSU – rudi to a high loso, hit, some knees on rudi – switch side plus a little, into a split jump 1/2 ish, not quite defined – double pike, overcooks with a lunge back, possible OOB.

Rorich went 9.825 on bars.

Navarro hits a yfull for Washington, just a little movement on landing and some pike. 9.825

Short DLO on bars from Ulrich with a hop forward.

We have no scores on beam and floor so far, so this season is starting great.

Oh my god, this is a clown factory of a broadcast and I can’t love it more. Jess and DD have no idea what they’re watching. And we don’t either. “You know what we don’t need, someone who does this professionally” 

Knight – BB – side aerial to bhs series, just some soft knee position – illusion turn, hit, small adjustment at the end but nicely done – gainer full, little short, hop forward. 9.750

Macpherson hits a double tuck to finish on floor for SJSU, good control, chest down a bit.

Hebinck – UB – Denver – Ricna, hit into pak, small leg break on pak – hits hs on low bar – solid cast hs on high – DLO pulls it close to the bar quite a bit, larger bounce back.

Now we have a couple 9.725s up for Illinois on beam.

Ewald – BB – Illinois – one arm bhs to loso, secure landing, some knee – switch, pause before loso and falls – had a small adjustment on the switch landing which threw her off in connection – split to switch split jump to straddle 1/4 – punch rudi dismount, nice stick.

Nelson on floor for SJSU hits a back 1.5 to front full with a crossover step

Lin – VT – Washington – struggles to control her landing on yfull, large bounce back and chest forward on the bounce.

Hutchinson looks strong on bars, holds the landing on her DLO.

Nataraj – BB – Illinois – best loso series thus far, solid and better extension – switch to straddle 1/4, hit, just a little back leg on switch – beat to aerial, a little low, holds the landing securely – full turn, check – 1.5 dismount, hop forward.

9.925 for Hutchinson.

Lopes – FX – SJSU – FTDT, bounce back, possible OOB – no line judge GREAT REAL MEET – switch side, over turns a little into her split jump full attempt as well – front tuck through to double tuck, way short, large lunge forward.

SKW – VT – Washington – great distance on her yfull as usual, little hop back – didn’t really hold her finish position before step salute so should be an additional .05 there.

Checking in on Mundell on bars, small step to the side on DLO.

Takekawa – BB – Illinois – side aerial to bhs with a step back – full turn, hit – Jess tells us this is Katelyn Ewald – switch, nice toe point, connects to gainer loso – bhs loso, holds the landing into finish position. Nice one – at least what we saw.

Love when SEC coaches see a routine that’s not from the SEC and are shocked like, “Oh wow, it wasn’t absolute garbage, I didn’t know what was a thing.”

Iwai in exhibition on bars for Denver, good stick on DLO.

Alea Byrne with an exhibition beam for Illinois, good position on switch leap.

We have rotation 1 scores of 49.350 for Denver on bars, 49.025 on vault for Denver, 48.875 for Illinois.

The scores and broadcast are having a TIME. Virtius has some nice things (like getting to see the start value) but isn’t set up for a four-team women’s college meet at all and is very difficult to use here. DD and Jess also having a rough time figuring out what is going on at any moment.  

Good start from Denver on bars from what we saw. They look the most drilled on the finish position. They’re holding it for like 6 minutes.

OK Takekawa’s score fixed to 9.900, which more reflects the actual routine that we saw, which was excellent. 48.875 beam for Illinois. Silly me for assuming they cut to it in progress, but…

After 1:
Denver – 49.350
Washington – 49.025
Illinois – 48.875
San Jose – 48.625

Rotation 2

Valuch – SJSU – VT – gold amplitude on yfull, some pike, bounce back. 9.800

Takekawa – FX – Illinois – front 2/1, some knees, controls her step forward – rudi to split jump, good split position – switch side 1/2 to split jump, looks like it was around –

We cut to Iwai on beam, leading off for Denver – bhs loso loso, good, very small lean correction on landing – ro gainer full dismount – hop back. 9.825

Moody opened bars with 9.750

Pitts on vault from San Jose, lovely kick out on her handspring tuck 1/2 vault. A joy. Hop back.

Oppegard – Ub – Washington – jaeger, good feet – short cast hs – bail, good vertical hit – short hs on high – DLO, some piking – pretty good landing. 9.850

Ewald – FX – Illinois – front 2/1, some leg separation at the end, step around – rudi to loso, right into the corner, controls the landing enough to stay in – switch to popa to straddle jump, crisp finish positions.

Mabanta – BB – Denver – Jess calling a wolf turn a “squat turn” as if it needed to become even less flattering – bhs loso series, nice form – split leap to good switch 1/2, nice hip position – switch to split, excellent form – gainer pike, stuck. Wonderful.

Russon – UB – Washington – jaeger, close catch and and get her overshoot, lands it belly on the bar, has to hop off –

Macpherson holds onto the landing on her yfull on vault for San Jose, lean on landing and much shorter distance than most of the other yfulls we’ve seen.

Fitzgibbon – FX – Illinois – rudi lay to rudi, little rebound and chest position – switch side to split jump full, a bit tight on switch side – double pike, high, some foot position.

9.925 for Mabanta.

Casali in on beam for Denver, hits a bhs loso loso series – switch to switch attempt was a big struggle, well short of split on both with a lean on the second one – gainer full, stuck. Should be big deduction on that switch combo. Still got 9.825, which is a big number for that series. And one judge went 9.900, which is kind of insane.

Nelson – VT – SJSU – solid distance on her full, hop back, a bit off direction

Ulrich – BB – Denver – bhs loso, solid – switch to switch side, a bit short – aerial to beat, good feet on the aerial –

Nice high Gienger from Lin on bars for Washington but some leg break on catch – chest down on FTDT dismount, hop to the side.

Ward – FX – Illinois – front lay to front full to pike – wonderful amplitude on switch 1/2 in leap combination – double tuck, short, chest down, step forward

Kirsch – VT – San Jose – Yurchenko tuck 1.5, good landing there – just a bit of leg separation.

Bars fall from Killough-Wilhelm, Washington counting a fall on bars.

Thompson – BB – Denver – wild save on her side aerial to back handspring series since she kicked her own foot on the side aerial and didn’t fall – big leg up wobble on landing – switch to switch – full turn hit – side aerial to 1.5 hop forward.

Byrne finishes floor for Illinois with a double pike, some foot flexing, hit.

Tubbs – UB – Washington – Maloney to bail is clean – short cast hs on high – DLO, some leg separation, holds the landing – good recovery.

Hutchinson – BB – Denver – kickover, little lean into bhs, will get combo but probably should be a rhythm deduction – switch to split, very good – kickover pike, lean correction – full turn, hit – gainer full, hit, little flat. 9.850

McDonough in bars exhibition, fall on jaeger for Washington.

Townes – FX – Illinois – checking in on a back 1.5 to front full, good height, controls the step – wolf jump 1.5, a little under on the last 1/2 turn – split leap full to popa, good rise into popa.

So it’s a 49.150 beam for Denver, kind of a shaky rotation that they got through. Mabanta the big highlight there.

Washington 48.150 bars with the counting fall. San Jose gains with that 48.925 on vault.

Mueller exhibition floor for Illinois – DLO, just a bit short with a step forward – front full to front lay is hit, some leg separation – love cutting to Washington warming up beam on the podium instead of finishing this routine.

48.775 for Illinois on floor.

After 2:
Denver – 98.550
Illinois – 97.650
San Jose – 97.550
Washington – 97.175

Rotation 3

Big save from Lopes leading off bars for San Jose, pulls back a big arch on a high bar handstand –

Byrne – VT – Illinois – yfull, not as much amplitude, solid distance, lunge back

Hallinan – BB – Washington – kickover, solid, small pause into back tuck, both secure landings – switch to split jump, good foot positions – aerial, hit into beat jump – 1.5 dismount, holds the stick. Really useful addition to this lineup. 9.875.

Rorich – FX – Denver – front tuck to double back, secure landing – switch side, overturns some into popa popa – double pike, small rebound, some feet. Solid. 9.800

Mueller – VT – Illinois – better distance on yfull, medium bounce back

Innes – BB – Washington – full turn, hit – aerial, pulls through to bhs combination, small lean through it – cat leap to side aerial, front foot up slightly on landing – switch to straddle 1/4, good amplitude – 1.5 dismount, small lean to hold the landing. Another good one, some checks. 9.775

Casali – FX – Denver – punch rudi into 2-foot layout, cool but a bit short – some travel on her dance series, not quite up there – 2.5 to front tuck, good height, hop forward and then an additional lean forward and step OOB. 9.625

Konieczny – UB – SJSU – hits jaeger into bail, hits vertical – bit short on cast hs on high – DLO, some leg position, step forward.

Russon – BB – Washington – aerial, hit to bhs bhs, smooth series – switch to ring jump, regular ring jump, not a split ring – full turn – back 1.5, little hop forward. 9.800.

Reidenbach – FX – Denver – whip 1/2 to rudi, under control, a bit low on the second element – switch 1/2 to wolf jump full, out of control on landing with a bounce – double tuck, bounce back. 9.775

Coppola – VT – Illinois – good height on yfull, pikes down at the end with a bounce back, some direction

Moody, bhs loso on beam, secure – switch to split jump, good positions there – side aerial, check before split jump to beat jump – 1.5 dismount, hop to the side. Just a 9.8 SV here, lost her aerial to split combo. 9.600

Ulrich – FX – Denver – open double tuck, bounce back – switch side to popa, good switch side, a bit under on popa – back 1.5 to layout is solid – doubel pike, good feet, bounce back.

Machpherson – UB – SJSU – high tkatchev but hits her foot – keeps going – good bail – some back on a cast hs – giant full into double double tuck we think because we cut to DD in between –

Fall from Navarro on beam for Washington on her bhs loso loso series – was off line right from the bhs. They’ll have to count the 9.6 from Moody now.

Ward – VT – Illinois – has the height on her Y1.5 but a short landing, step back.

Mabanta – FX – Denver – checking in with a routine in progress – switch ring 1/2 to split jump – 1.5 to layout, a bit of a bounce step out. 9.825

Wehymiller on bars for San Jose – hit jaeger, short cast hs – great amplitude on pak – DLO, stuck.

SKW – BB – Washington – aerial, lovely, a bit low into bhs loso but connected and excellent elements – kickover connects to beat jump – switch to split, hit – side aerial to layout 1.5, hop forward.

Hutchinson finishes floor for Denver with a good rudi to straddle, lovely leg position. 9.850 for a 49.050 floor for Denver.

Hargraves doing floor exhibition for Denver – front lay to rudi, somewhat ragged with a bounce in the corner – split leap 1.5, almost all the way around – 1.5 to front lay, a little low on second element and in her leap combination.

It’s 48.900 for Washington on beam, 48.750 for San Jose on bars, and 48.925 for Illinois on vault.

After 3:
Denver – 147.600
Illinois – 146.550
San Jose – 146.300
Washington – 146.075

Rotation 4

Brusch – VT – Denver – good height on yfull, pikes down at the end, hop back. 9.800

Ward – UB – Illinois – blind to jaeger, hit with flexed feet, connects to overshoot, some pike – good cast hs on high – FTDT, holds the stick. 9.850

Ashton – BB – SJSU – bhs loso, solid – switch to switch 1/2, a bit under split – gainer full, stuck. 9.825

Innes finishes floor for Washington with a 1.5 to layout, good rise on the second element – rudi, under control, very good. 9.800

Mabanta – VT – Denver – good open on her yfull, bit larger on the bounce back. 9.800

Mueller – UB – Illinois – short hs on high – jaeger hit, short hs on high – hits vertical on bail – missing the handstands – DLO, little rebound. 9.825

Lopes – BB – SJSU – cat leap to switch side, off axis on her back leg – bhs loso, hit – side aerial to tuck 1.5, slide back

Lin finishes floor for Washington 1.5 to layout, whips around that layout a bit. 9.675

Handspring pike 1/2 vault from Ulrich for Denver, little step to the side. 9.900

Denning – UB – Illinois – toe on, good – maloney to bail, nice foot positions – short cast hs on high – DLO, little hop. Great form, lots of potential there. 9.875

Pires – FX – Washington – 1.5 to layout, some legs in 1.5 – switch side 1/4ish – double tuck, around but chest down – split leap full to jump full –

Hutchinson got 9.900 on vault, which we didn’t see.

Knight – UB – Illinois – maloney, slight legs – bail, some arch and a leg break – small arch on high bar handstand, pulls it back – DLO, little hop.

Casali – VT – Denver – lands a bit short on her y1.5, step back. 9.825. So one judge didn’t take the full tenth for short landing.

Nelson – BB – SJSU – aerial to aerial combination, small hesitation in between – switch to split, good back leg – 2/1 dismount lunge back.

Navarro in progress on floor for Washington – 1.5 to layout, under control, some legs – finishes double pike – chest forward, holds onto it

9.825 Y1.5 to finish vault for Denver on 49.250. 196.850 final today, which is a very solid first meet.

Ewald – UB – Illinois – good jaeger – pak, nice height – a bit late on 1/2 turn on low bar – close enough on final cast hs – holds onto FTDT stick. Good.

Reidenbach with a clean yfull in exhibition for Denver. Definitely an option.

McWilliams – FX – Washington – rudi to loso, good control, leg crossing on the rudi – straddle jump – switch side to popa, a bit angled on the popa position – double pike, short landing, lunge forward. 9.750

Takekawa – UB – Illinois – borderline first hs – piked jaeger, hit – short hs on high – bail, not up to vertical, goes over the wrong way, has to correct, but doesn’t come off – DLO, bounce back. 9.725

SKW – FX – Washington – front 2/1, around, crossover step – switch to switch ring 1/2, hit – back 1.5 to a high layout, bit of a bounce forward but keeps back leg under control.

9.850 for SKW takes Washington to 195.000.

Watching the brain trust trying to figure out how many routines are left has been wild.

They told us we have a 9.750/9.150 split on beam, which is beautiful.

It’s a 49.175 bars for Illinois to see them finish on 195.725.

Macpherson – BB – SJSU – switch to split, good back leg on switch – bhs bhs loso, secure – standing loso, step back, check – 1.5 dismount, small hop.

9.700 for Kirsch, 9.775 for Macpherson. Beam live scoring is having a time, since we never got a score for Nelson.

Weyhmiller – BB – SJSU – good full turn – bhs loso, good back leg position, smallest lean – switch to switch 1/2, well under on switch 1/2 and lands off line and falls – side aerial is well done – gainer full, step back, some leg separation.

We’ll see when we get all the beam scores in for San Jose, but we’re probably looking at a high 194 as the total here.

A first meet, probably not a keeper score for any of them, but a start. Any hopes one had for magically tighter scoring this season have already been dashed. Almost everyone very focused on the new finish position, saw a couple misses, a couple borderlines, but more holding it for hours.

Konieczny in exhibition for San Jose, good loso series, switch, pause before short switch 1/2, large leg up break – split to split – bhs gainer full.

FINAL:
Denver – 196.850
Illinois – 195.725
Washington – 195.000
San Jose – 194.950

In conclusion:

Meet back here starting with LSU and Ohio State.

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Of initial alarm, at least for fantasy gym enthusiasts if nothing else, will be the absence of Chase Brock and Alyona Shchennikova from LSU’s prospective lineups for today’s meet.

Oh hey there Bart and Kathy.

Rotation 1

KJ Johnson – VT – LSU – yfull, great position, step back. 9.825, so one judge only took the one tenth step, another had another .05

Pritchard – UB – Ohio St – short frist hs – toe on to gienger, good height, leg break on catch, connects to overshoot – short hs on high – giant full, pulls it around into double tuck, good landing. 9.775

Drayton – VT – LSU – Y1.5, very good distance, nearly finds the stick, just a little lean movement. 9.925

Washington – UB – Ohio State – toe on to maloney, bit of a leg separation there and on pak, but good – giant full, late into double tuck, large lunge back. 9.775

Finnegan – VT – LSU – Omelianchik, just a little short, step back. 9.875 – high for the shortness, and the one tenth step, and a brief finish position hold.

Vetter – UB – Ohio St – big height on tkatchev – clear hip to bail, legs together – borderline hs on high – FTDT, holds the stick. Very good.

Schoenherr – VT – Florida – Y1.5 is way short with a somewhat locked landing but she looks OK – short landing, saving step back to avoid a fall, but they’ll want to drop. 9.600

Harris – UB – Ohio St – good ray position, nice feet – toe on to bail, small leg separation – giant full, better vertical there – double tuck dismount, small slide back. 9.875

Kiya Johnson – VT – LSU – DTY, lands a bit short today, chest forward and a step forward, bit of knees and direction. 9.800

Riccardi – UB – Ohio State – arch in first hs, pulls it back – Ray, high, some foot flexing – lovely pak height – good vertical on her 1/2 turn on low – nice hs – stalder to double tuck, smooth combination, hop back. 9.850

Bryant – VT – LSU – handspring pike 1/2, super high, slide back. The usual. 9.950

Buchanan – UB – Ohio State – hits first hs – Ray, solid – short cast hs on high – pak, hit – very late on 1/2 turn on low – short cast hs on high – DLO, small hop back. Solid.

LSU goes 49.375 on vault, which they’ll take for kind of a raggedy first-meet vault rotation with three short landings in a row in there, but a highlight addition from Drayton. She’ll be icing a spot in this lineup.

49.125 from Ohio State on bars, trails LSU but no major issues. Handstands were pretty January and that accounted for most of the deductions in a lot of these routines.

We saw Shchennikova on a scooter there in the background during that vault rotation.

Rotation 2

Grimes – VT – Ohio St – yfull, larger bounce back (.20), some pike. 9.725

Jeffrey – UB – LSU – good first hs – maloney, legs together into bail, clean – short hs on high – FTDT, squats it down to hold the stick. 9.900

A lot of “one one-tho—” holds on the finish positions for LSU, which is fine but also risks someone who is being strict on it.

Mintz – VT – Ohio St – yfull, hop to the side, a bit shorter than Grimes but also much more landing control. 9.825. Don’t see how that gets the same score as KJ Johnson’s. That’s inconsistent.

Cowan – UB – LSU – Ray, good height into overshoot – some loose back on hs but gets up to vertical – DLO, step back. 9.800

Washington – VT – Ohio St – good yfull, just very small movement – 9.875

Kiya Johnson – UB – LSU – not the leadoff! – maloney to bail, some leg break on maloney, good bail – DLO, high, very small movement on landing. 9.925

Her second-highest bars score of her career for the same routine she does every time. But they don’t score the lineup order. How dare you imply.

Riccardi – VT – Ohio St – yfull, good position and direction, small movement.

McClain – UB – LSU – good first hs, held forever – Church, excellent – his hs – toe on to pak, leg break – 1/2 turn on low, solid position – FTDT, a bit deep, step back. Lovely. 9.825. Also caught close on Church from side view.

Harris – VT – Ohio St – strong work on her y1.5, little hop forward, not the big, high of a couple of LSU’s but nice.

Schoenherr – UB – LSU – toe 1/2 to jaeger, super high, a bit of feet – toe on to bail, clean – a bit rushed on final cast hs – double front 1/2, hop back. So she’s back to her normal on bars. 9.850

Vetter – VT – Ohio St – best height and direction on the yfulls so far, bounce back. 9.850

Ohio State goes 49.300 on vault to LSU’s 49.375. They didn’t have the short landings LSU did but also didn’t have the distance and amplitude.

Bryant – UB – LSU – good first hs – blind to jaeger, hit – bail, possible hip angle there but we’re at a bad view – hits hs on high – double front 1/2, hop back. 9.875

Another 49.375 for LSU on bars, which is a solid result. McClain is very close to getting some big scores there.

After 2:
LSU 98.750
Ohio State 98.425

Rotation 3

Jeffrey – BB – LSU – wolf turn, hit – cat leap to switch side, gets to 180 horizontal there in the end, some hip angle – bhs loso, lean correction, bend at the hips and turn to the side, probably a tenth, standing front tuck, hit – 1.5 dismount, holds the landing, direction deduction. 9.775

Grimes – FX – Ohio St – double pike, nice position, little rebound – back 1.5 to front lay, under control, lay didn’t really rise out of the 1.5 – switch side 1/4 to a straddle 3/4 – double tuck, good control. 9.800

Ballard – BB – LSU – bhs loso and falls, surprising, looked on line from our angle – sissone, under – switch 1/2 – kickover, secure, good chest up position – 1.5 dismount, step. 9.200

Washington – FX – Ohio St – double pike, little rebound, stays in bounds – front lay to front full, lunge forward, leans at the hips to keep herself in bounds – double tuck, ever so slightly short, shows control

Utah is underway, Winger and Zirbes vaulted their y1.5s  – Winger with a large lunge forward, Zirbes under with a step back.

McClain – BB – LSU – switch to split leap, lovely, nearly wobbles on choreo after that because she was slightly off line, but good position – bhs bhs layout 2 feet and falls – it was soo high and good but a fall – side aerial, small chest lean to hold onto it – gainer full, holds it. 8.950 — no bonus awarded for combinations with a fall, so her SV ate it.

Mintz – FX – Ohio St – FTDT, hit, rebound – split leap full to popa – front lay to front full, small slide – double tuck, front foot movement back. 9.825

Glynn vaults for Utah, y1.5 with a lunge forward but probably the best so far. They haven’t been out of the 9.7s for the first 4. But Glynn gets to 9.850. Makenna Smith up 5th for them with a near stick on the Omelianchik, small hop forward. Good.

Bryant – BB – LSU – aerial to bhs series, good extension – switch to straddle 1/4, nice back leg on switch – standing front tuck, holds onto it. Rudi dismount, hit, little dismount movement.  9.925

Blackson for Boise State had a nice one going on bars but dismounted to her knees, which is the third major error of the rotation.

Step to the side for Rucker on her Y1.5 on vault. Utah 49.150 vault score.

Vetter – FX – Ohio St – double tuck, step back, controls her front foot – good split positions on her popas in combination – rudi is a little ragged, some leg form and chest position, small hop adjustment. 9.850

Emily Lopez saved the day for Boise State on bars with a lovely DLO stick.

Kiya Johnson – BB – LSU – small check on full turn – bhs loso, small lean but aggressive – hits switch to switch combination – kickover, great – 2/1, step to the side. A little checky but good. 9.850

Harris – FX – Ohio St – front 2/1 to front tuck, good – tuck jump full – switch side, overturns a little into popa – double pike, mostly controls that front foot, good form in the air. Should be a nice number. 9.875

Finnegan – BB – LSU – bhs loso loso, hits it securely, chest a bit lower than her usual but nice – switch to split, hit, clean positions – full turn, good – aerial, hit – gainer full, stuck. Lovely. 9.950.

Gets LSU to 48.700 on beam, which is not bad for a fall, even though this is a drop meet score now.

Hodges – FX – Ohio St – double pike, pretty, controls the step back – split leap full to popa to popa, looked around – rudi to loso, well done. This should be a score. 9.950 for her.

Someone muted Jay for his interview.

49.300 for Ohio State on floor, gaining .6 on LSU’s beam there to take the lead.

After 3:
Ohio State 147.725
LSU 147.450

With a 9.950 for Hodges there, the scores are ready to go big for LSU’s floor, so you still give them the edge here, but they’ve made it a close one. Ohio State in great position to get a counter out of this first meet with a hit beam.

Utah working against a 9.550 from Zirbes in the third position on bars now. Opened with 9.850s from Smith and Sabado and now have a hit from Morgan 4th up for 9.775. Need McCallum and O’Keefe magic a little bit here.

Rotation 4

Pritchard – BB – Ohio St – hitch kick to side aerial, secure – full turn, solid – bhs loso, very small adjustment – check on choreography there – beat to straddle 3/4, holds securely – 1.5 dismount, holds the stick with a little lean, a bit of direction. 9.800

Ballard – FX – LSU – DLO, good landing, under control – back 1.5 to front lay – switch ring to switch 1/2 to knee – double pike, some foot flexing, controls step back, keeps it in bounds, solid start. 9.900

Utah gets the 9.925s they needed from McCallum and O’Keefe to get to a solid 49.325 on bars.

Hankins – BB – Ohio St – check on full turn – bhs loso series, secure – kickover, holds onto it – switch to split 1/4, good split position on that 1/4 – 2/1 dismount, some leg crossing, small hop back. 9.750

Dunne – FX – LSU – Can we start a club that’s called I’m A Fan of Livvy Dunne But Not For That It’s Actually Because of Her Dance Element Execution? front tuck through to double tuck, good toe point, landing under control – switch leap to switch ring 1/2, nice toe point – y turn, overturns it by about a half turn – double pike, flexed feet more there, lunge back. 9.875

Warga – BB – Ohio St – full turn – aerial, good form in the air but a little off line and a leg-up wobble – aerial repeats, just a bit slow into bhs combination and falls this time – cat leap to a switch 1/2attempt and a really rough fall, splits the beam and then lands hard on her shoulder.

She’s back up but will head to the back and won’t continue.

KJ Johnson – FX – LSU – FTDT, chest a bit forward today with a hop – back 1.5 to front lay, slide forward – switch side, overturns a little into popa – double tuck, small foot rearrangement. 9.850

Harris – BB – Ohio St – switch to straddle 1/4, hit – aerial, small pause before back tuck, step forward – 2/1, small step. 9.825

Finnegan – FX – LSU – double arabian, like the Omelianchik, under with a step back – switch ring to split leap full, nice – 2.5 to front tuck, lovely, controls the step forward. 9.900, one judges goes 9.950 there, so they’ll have to go 11 for a Bryant hit.

Vetter – BB – Ohio St – full turn, hit – bhs loso, solid landing, just a bit soft – beat jump to side aerial, well done – switch to straddle 1/4- 1.5, step forward. 9.825

Bryant – FX – LSU – double front tuck, nearrllly sticks it but ends up giving up a little shuffle – switch to switch full, around – front lay to rudi, good control – 9.925.

Opens the year with 39.675 AA.

Hodges – BB – Ohio St – Bart LOVES “Elegant Ella” – split to straddle 3/4, good position – bhs loso, securely hit – full turn, wobble – gainer loso, small slide back – 1.5 dismount, well short, lunge back to save a fall, which will be very important for their total here. 9.750

Drayton – FX – LSU – huge DLO, chest down a little in the end but great height, controls the step – front tuck to double tuck, also solid control – switch ring to switch 1/2 – 9.925

LSU with a strong 49.525 on floor to end up on 196.975 with a counting fall, which won’t be a keeper for them. Ohio State 196.675 is a nice opening, but they’ll also expect to be a 197 team soon.

Super 16 second session is about to start. Looks like they have invented a split cam for this one.

Super 16 Session 2

Rotation 1

Davis – VT – OU – small hop forward on Y1.5, some leg separation on her block. 9.850

Rodriguez opens for Kentucky on bars, small hop on DLO. 9.825

Kalefe – BB – MSU – full turn – bhs bhs loso, good height, secure landing – switch, large wobble – adds a third dance element to get a series but a pretty big break there – gainer full, finds stick, a little low.  9.750

Guggino – FX – Michigan – front loso to double pike, large rebound – rudi, some leg separation, small bounce. 9.7000

Scheible – VT – OU -handspring pike 1/2, excellent height and sticks it, just a bit chest forward. 9.900

Lovely toe point on jaeger from Riegert for Kentucky – large arch on bail hs but pulls it back – DLO, fairly piked but finds the stick. 9.850

Harkness – BB – MSU – full turn – bhs loso, hit, soft knee position in bhs but better in loso – switch to switch, shows back leg – side aerial, large break, bend forward at the hips to horizontal, so could be 2 tenths – 1.5 tuck dismount, hop. 9.625

Mulligan – FX – Michigan – front through to double tuck, large bounce back OOB – switch side 1/4 to straddle jump – double pike, a bit of leg separation at the end, controls the landing. 9.600

Levasseur just 9.800, which is one of her lower vault scores. Jess says she landed under.

Procasky – UB – kentucky – maloney to pak, clean – a little late on 1/2 turn on low – DLO, small movement, chest a bit forward

Bowers – VT – OU – lovely y1.5 in the air – medium bounce forward. 9.900. Could have gone with the new .150 step deduction there but took the one thenth.

Bauman – FX – Michigan – clean front 2/1, nice – back 1.5 to front lay, good straight body position in layout – 9.825

And we have our first 10.000 of the season with Maile O’Keefe on beam. So whoever had that in the pool.

Davis on bars for Kentucky, a little under on her DLO landing with a step forward.

Wells – VT – OU – good height on her debut y1.5, medium step forward.

Morrison – FX – Michigan – FTDT, short landing, lunge forward – front tuck through to double tuck, chest down, step forward, not as short as the first pass.

Schulte – BB – MSU – nice switch 1/2 work – bhs loso secure, just a bit of knee positiion – switch to gainer full, holds the stick. Good.

Torrez – VT – OU – hits y1.5, medium hop forward. So the last few y1.5s didn’t have the landing control, but solid for the first meet.

49.350 vault for Oklahoma.

Brooks – FX – Michigan – open FTDT, excellent – tuck jump full – split leap full to split jump full, around – front tuck through to double tuck, small slide back. 9.850

Hawthorne in exhibition for Oklahoma, falls on her Y1.5.

Garcia falls on beam for MSU, so they’ll be counting a 9.625.

Worley – UB – Kentucky – clear hip to tkatchev, hit, good feet, not the highest amplitude – pak, clean – hits hs on high – FTDT, holds onto the landing.

She goes 9.975, so one judge went 10.

Wilson – FX – Michigan – open FTDT, hop to present – switch side to straddle jump – front lay to rudi, good rise in the rudi, under control. 9.900.

49.350 bars for Kentucky.

Stephen – BB – MSU – aerial to 2 feet, hit – bhs loso, small lean, good height and toe point – beat to straddle jump 1/2 – 2/1, bounce back.

Oklahoma and Kentucky tied on 49.350 in that first rotation. (And actually Gormely went 9.925 in exhibition, so that could have been higher for Kentucky.)

Michigan floor on 49.050, which is a low start. A couple struggles at the beginning, also thought Brooks’ score was tight compared to what we’ve seen with the everything.

Michigan State a tight opening beam rotation for the season but it’s over now, with a 48.800.

Rotation 2

Thaxton – VT – Michigan – chest down landing on yfull, step forward

Levasseur – UB – Oklahoma – good first hs – toe on to tkatchev, hit – solid cast on high – bail, good vertical – giant full to double tuck, stuck landing. Big start. 9.925

Beautfait – FX – MSU – front frotn 2/1, just a little under rotated – back 1.5 to front lay, very small back foot slide – good punch on rudi final pass.

Nice dismount stick from Rodriguez leading off beam for Kentucky. 9.875

Fletcher – UB – Oklahoma – piked jaeger, nice – a git of hip angle on second handstand – pak, good – rushes 1/2 turn on low a bit – arch on cast hs on high but pulls it back – FTDT, stuck landing. 9.900

Gormley with a step forward on 1.5 dismount on beam for Kentucky.

Mulligan on vault for Michigan hits her y1.5, but a bit low on landing with a crossover step. 9.775

Tucker is debuting on floor for MSU with a pretty front 2/1 to finish.

Torrez – UB – OU – Ray, hit – toe on to pak, hit, just a little over the bar but able to work with it well – hits cast hs on high – stuck DLO. 9.950

Bunn with a hit bhs loso loso on beam for Kentucky with a small check – 2/1, little hop. 9.825

Morrison on VT for Michigan, Y1.5, shortish, hop back. 9.825.

Patterson – BB – Kentucky – full turn -bhs loso, solidly landed – aerial, check – swtich to switch, second swtich was really short and couldn’t land it, falls.

Gabi Stephen finishes floor with a front 2/1 as well, a bit awkward on the crossover step but hit. 9.750

Smith – UB – OU – good first hs – Ray, gets it unlike in the warmup, but hit into pak, lovely  – 1/2 turn on low, hit position – good cast on high – DLO, piking, small hop back.

Another 9.950. Bars has been high all day, and then they went 9.975 for Worley, so everything for Oklahoma was going to be 9.950+ with a stick.

Worley – BB – Kentucky – cat leap to switch side, crooked split position, little adjustment – aerial to bhs loso, secure – full turn, good – 1.5, stuck.

Davis – UB – OU – good first hs – higgins to piked jaeger, nice – pak, lovelyu – hits 1/2 turn on low – nice hs on high – higgins to double front 1/2, little hop. 9.900

We didn’t see Sierra Brooks on vault but the score is 9.675 on a day that is not happening for Michigan thus far.

Magnelli – BB – Kentucky – bhs loso loso, good secure landing – switch to straddle 1/4, great amplitude – aerial is short, bend over at the hips to horizontal – gainer pike, stuck.

Nikki Smith finishes floor with a shorter double tuck, step forward.

Bowers – UB – OU – blind to piked jaeger, lovely – pak, very nice – hits 1/2 turn on low – nice finat cast hs – FTDT, step forward.

9.700 beam for Magnelli has to count so they’re on 49.100 there.

Schulte finishes floor for Michigan State – FTDT, big, bounce back – lovely leap extension – front tuck through to double tuck, just a hair forward which caused a little hesitation and a step. 9.775

Utah is done on 197.300, so while there were some early vault issues, it turned into a solid score that will reign as the top in the country, for probably about another hour.

Sievers shows bars exhibition for Oklahoma, so she’s back in.

Floor stayed fairly tight for a lot of the MSU gymnasts for a 48.800 total there. VERY interested to see how Kentucky and Oklahoma are evaluated there now.

It’s a casual 49.625 for Oklahoma with everyone at least 9.900. Frustrating scoring because it felt like it was only based on landing there. Stick for 9.950 or step for 9.900, everything else is irrelevant.

After 2:
Oklahoma 98.975
Kentucky 98.450
Michigan 97.925
Michigan State 97.600

WHAT ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW. Jess and DD having “Stories with Nana and Pop Pop Time”

DD is just wishing for the internet at this point. WHAT IF THAT EXISTED.

How many empty bottles of white wine under the table at this point?

Rotation 3

Morrison – UB – Michigan – hits her gienger – some short handstands – bail, leg separation, good vertical – DLO, small hop. 9.800

Tucker – VT – MSU – short on Y1.5, lunge back.

Davis – BB – OU – “KJ’s got her wound up and ready to go” – full turn, good – bhs loso, small lean adjustment – aerial – beat to split ring jump, low front leg for elite but they’ll be OK with it here – 2/1, some leg crossing, stuck. 9.875

Ortiz – VT – MSU – high y1.5 in the air but a deep landing and a bounce back

Wilson – FX – Kentucky – wolf jump 1.5 attempt, under, I would say on wolf full credit – 1.5 to front lay, hit – switch side to wolf jump full – 9.725

Wells – BB – OU – side aerial step out, good – switch to switch split jump, hit -bhs loso, smooth – 1.5, little hop. 9.825

Good piked jaeger from Wilson on bars for Michigan – DLO, small slide back. 9.900

Magnelli – FX – Kentucky – rudi to loso, hit – switch side to popa, high as always – double pike, deeper, tries to hold on, little step to the side.

Bowers – BB – OU – full turn, hit – bhs loso, holds onto it well – split leap to a real switch 1/2 – 2/1, holds onto the stick, little lean. Nice.

Zabrowski on bars for Michigan hit her foot on the mat on her pak.

GREAT handspring pike 1/2 from Kellerman on vault.

And we have our second 10.000 of the season and it goes to Kellerman, which I don’t think many would have had in the pool.

Davis – FX – Kentucky – double pike, bounce back. – very clean 1.5 to front lay position – doubel tuck, well controlled, good chest position. 9.800

Torrez – BB – OU – side aerial to loso, excellent – switch to straddle jump great – bh aginer full, stuck, very nice. 9.950

Bauman hits her double front on bars for Michigan, small step. 9.900

Nikki Smith short landing on y1.5, lunge back.

Brose – FX – Kentucky – double pike, good, some rebound – a little under on wolf position in combination – front full to layout with a bounce up – pretty good front 2/1 rotation. 9.825

Levasseur – BB – OU – bhs loso, secure – swtich to straddle 1/4, check pause –

Brooks – UB – Michigan – piked jaeger, hit – nice hs – toe to bail, hit – nice hs on high – DLO 1/1, small hop back

Levasseur ends with a bounce back on gainer full on beam. 9.825

Michigan goes 49.350 on bars, and Michigan State goes 49.350 on vault, which is a step up for both of them.

Smith – BB – OU – bhs loso, smooth, lovely – aerial, hit – staddle 1/2 to Korbut, perfect – full turn – bhs gainer full, stuck. Good one. 9.950

Worley – FX – Kentucky – front full to lay, hit, a bit of knees – doubel tuck, lunge back – 9.875

49.475 for Oklahoma on beam, 49.350s for the Michigan, and then 49.050 for Kentucky on floor.

After 3:
Oklahoma 148.450
Kentucky 147.500
Michigan 147.275
Michigan State 146.850

Good loso series from Sullivan on beam exhibition fro Oklahoma, switch to a one-arm bhs to shushunova hip circle – front full dismount, hop.

Rotation 4

DD thinks there’s a tie. There’s no tie, DD. Let’s go night night.

Rodriguez – VT – Kentucky – hits yfull, holds the landing, chest down, not the most distance. 9.850

Schulte – UB – MSU – Shaposh and falls to start

Mulligan – BB – Michigan – full turn – cat leap to aerial, good aerial legs, into bhs – beat to straddle 1/2, nice split – side aerial – tuck 1.5, step forward

Davis a short front 2/1 on floor for Oklahoma, deep with a crossover step. 9.875 is high for how floor has been scored.

Zsarmani on bars for MSU, hits a maloney to gienger, nice – DLO, lean forward but looks like she held it. 9.850

Vore with a fall on beam second up for Michigan, follows 9.800 from Mulligan.

Patterson – VT – Kentucky, big handspring pike 1/2 but fairly out of control on landing with a step back and out of the area.

Fletcher – FX – OU – whip 2.5 opening pass, good control but leg crossing throughout – back 1.5 to front full is nice – switch 1/2 to popa –

Stepehn – UB – MSU – tyoe on to maloney, good into bail, clean vertical position – big arch on hs on high but pulls it back – FTDT, good landing.

Wilson – BB – Michigan – hitch kick – bhs to a high loso, good – great double tuck dismount, small rebound. 9.900

Smith – FX – OU – short landing on open double tuck – step – back 1.5 to front lay – switch side, a little over, into wolf full – double pike, lunge back, moves front foot as well. 9.750

Makenzie Wilson gets 9.950 on her vault to send Kentucky to 49.275 there and a 196.775 total.

Morrison – BB – Michigan – candle mount – bhs loso, some leg form throughout, steps her foot through on landing – big break on switch 1/2, leg up to horizontal and bent in dog-pee position – 1.5 dismount, large lunge.

Levasseur with a pretty back 1.5 to 1/2 to straddle to finish on floor. 9.850

Nikki Smith with a great stick on her DLO on bars for MSU. 9.925

Bauman – BB – Michigan – bhs loso with a check and then a big leg-up wobble – sissone to switch 1/2 to beat jump, lovely – side somi piked, good position but another wobble, arm wave – gainer pike, hop forward. 9.525

Torrez – FX – OU – DLO, high, just a bit crunched at the end, hop present to the side – leg up full turn – fornt tuck through to double tuck, secure landing.

Harkness – UB – MSU – toe on to gienger, lovely – bail, hits a strong vertical – FTDT, little rebound.

Brooks – BB – Michigan – we see the ending of this one, great kickover front – bhs 2/1, step back.

Now a 9.950 for Harkness puts Michigan State on a 196.300 final.

Bowers – FX – OU – front 2/1 to front tuck, little bounce out – double pike, super high – switch to switch 1/2 to wolf full, lovely, actual, real, and around.

Bowers 9.925 gives Oklahoma 49.400 on floor and the win.

FINAL
Oklahoma 197.850
Kentucky 196.775
Michigan State 196.300
Michigan 195.875