It’s an earlier start to the action today with what was supposed to be an SEC Network tripleheader until Arkansas/LSU was canceled. Now it’s just a normal loser doubleheader that starts earlier.

Action begins with Florida and Georgia, which is a much more important meet for Georgia given the trouble-riddled 194 to start the season, followed by the COVID cancellation of both meets scheduled for last weekend. It’s too early for “THIS SCORE MUST COUNT” panic, but this also does need to be something vaguely in the vicinity of competitive. For Florida, look for whether we see progress in terms of lineups coming together and routines looking more refined, but there’s not any actual score pressure at this point. 

We’ll also have Denver/West Virginia and Kentucky/Alabama to keep an eye on in the early slate, then on to Iowa State/Auburn and Arizona State/Utah. I’ll be tapping out by 10:30ET/7:30PT for GymCastic’s College and Cocktails.

You can find the score and streaming links you need on the LINKS page.

6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT	[3] Florida @ [29] Georgia
6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT	[43] Central Michigan @ [48] Bowling Green
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT	[6] Denver @ [38] West Virginia
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT	[30] Northern Illinois, [53] SEMO, [55] Lindenwood
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT	[62] UW-La Crosse @ [UR] UW-Stout
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT	[69] Hamline @ [68] Winona State
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT	[9] Kentucky @ [10] Alabama
8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT	[41] Eastern Michigan @ [50] Illinois State
8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT	[35] Iowa State @ [7] Auburn
9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT	[13] Arizona State @ [2] Utah
9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT	[21] BYU @ [18] Southern Utah

In the later meets, Iowa State has had a predictably slow start to the year given just how many team members are already out for the season, a list that now also includes Addy De Jesus. Do you have enough people to hit routines in this lineup? That will be an issue to watch in the meet against Auburn. Auburn’s meet release indicates that they don’t plan on using Lee on floor today, but we shall see. 

In “the thing that’s making me cackle right now” news, Georgia’s meet notes have a “possible lineups” section that includes Marissa Oakley and Sterlyn Austin despite the fact that they graduated last year. Which really sums things up. Also, UC Davis was added to the Oregon State/UCLA meet this week after Davis’s trip to Alaska was canceled, but the Pac-12 Network is like “NOT. SHOWING. THAT.” You know, like in a real sport where you don’t show one of the teams?

What are they going to do if Davis wins? Which…not out of the question right now.

It’s funny watching my weekly 7 minutes of the Rooster Cornfeathers Show that’s on the SEC Network for 100 hours a day before gymnastics because they’re always like “should this coach be fired for losing Big Game?” Meanwhile in gymnastics, it’s like, “Well, they didn’t commit three full felonies, so it wouldn’t really be fair to lose your job…”

Georgia is “literally……..trying to build some momentum.” Alicia, what were you about to say?

Georgia is adding Baumann to the vault lineup today, which is important for them.

Rotation 1

Georgia VT 1 – Cashman – a hit this week, solid, medium pace back, some piked hip position. 9.800

Florida UB 1 – Blakely – good first hs – maloney to pak – 1/2 turn on low, a loose back position – strong cast hs on high – toe 1/2, small leg moment, to front giant to double front, cowboy but finds the landing. Good one. 9.825

Georgia VT 2 – Magee – Y1.5 really nicely done, small step back, but otherwise excellent. Good improvement for both vaulters so far. 9.900

Florida UB 2 – Skaggs – good first hs – tkatchev to pak, lovely rhythm – 1/2 turn on low, some angle – borderline cast hs on high – DLO, some legs, stuck. Good work. 9.900

Georgia VT 3 – Baumann – goes for the yfull, large bounce back and knee position, legs on block. Will want to drop but a hit. 9.725

Florida UB 3 – McCusker – “almost made that Olympic team in Tokyo” – maloney to pak, maloney is a bit floppy, loose back – toe on to van leuwen, hit – higgins to front giant to double front 1/2 out, deeeeep landing with a step back. Will get knocked for that dismount. 9.800. That seems high.

Georgia VT 4 – Ward – nearly finds the landing on her Tsuk full, comes in a bit short with a hop forward, and some pike position. 9.825

Florida UB 4 – Schoenherr – good first hs – toe 1/2 to jaeger, very good – hits next cast hs – toe on to bail, small hip angle – double front 1/2 out – hop back. Solid. 9.800. I saw that as stronger than McCusker’s.

Georgia VT 5 – Lukacs – pulls out that Y1.5 today, lands a bit deep, hop to the side, loses her knees at the end. 9.775

Florida UB 5 – Thomas – shortish first hs today – maloney to pak, clean – toe on to van leeuwen, small leg break – DLO, lovely and stuck. I don’t think these were her best handstands today, but the rest was pretty much ideal. 9.975.

I mean, I feel like those were her weakest handstands, and before she was getting like 9.850. “Don’t care as much about the cast handstands, and you’ll get a 10.”

Georgia VT 6 – Roberts – y1.5 – nearly is able to sell the stick on her vault but steps forward into her salute, knees. 9.925. How though? You can’t call that a stick.

Florida UB 6 – Wong – Maloney to pak, clean – good hs on low – shap 1/2, right on – strong hs on high – DLO, finds the stick. Excellent, some loose back they probably won’t care about. 9.975

Love the not-at-all working live scores!

Georgia goes 49.225 on vault, which is a clear improvement over week one and did feature getting Baumann into the lineup, but also featured…you’re at home right now. That was some “Suzanne Says Marsden Better Not Tweet About This” scoring. Certainly for both teams. 

Florida goes 49.475 after two 9.975s from Thomas and Wong. Wong’s was closer to a 10 for me.

Rotation 2

Florida VT 1 – Clark – this is definitely not Bri Edwards, yo – “got to be stoked to see her on TV” he’s not, it’s not her – hits a yfull, solid dynamics, fairly large bounce back – some pike. 9.725

Georgia UB 1 – Cashman – hits tkatchev, lowish but hit – bail, legs flash apart – some short cast hs in here – DLO, small step. Good. 9.775

Floriva VT 2 – Skaggs – pretty Yfull as always – goes a little off direction this time – slide back. 9.875

Georgia UB 2 – Ward – shaposh fingertips to bail, elbows on catch and some short position – closer to hs on high – DLO, little hop forward – gave away a lot in form but a hit. 9.825 is VERY VERY high for that. I had more than that just on the bail.

Florida VT 3 – Schoenherr – solid work on Y1.5 – hop forward and some knees, but solid control –

Georgia UB 3 – Finnegan – Ray, good amplituce – toe on to pak, archy and leg break – solid cast 1/2 position on low – hit work overall – FTDT, cehst forward and a hop. 9.875

Florida VT 4 – Reed – nearly found the stick on her Y1.5 again, just a little hop in place. 9.950

Georgia UB 4 – De Jong – short first hs – toe on to Ray, catches verrrry close – works out of it to bail, short of hs position – short cast hs on high – DLO, lean and hop forward. That was a real struggle and should be the dropped score. 9.625

Florida VT 5 – Wong – ro 1/2 on pike 1/2 is MUCH better this week – stuck landing, just a little chest position. 9.825

So, looks like they also took for dynamics there, distance and height in addition to chest position, which is justified in the code but also reflective of Yurchenko bias in judging because they aren’t taking that same level of deductions AT ALL on these Yurchenkos. Inconsistent with the very loose lens of the rest of the meet so far.

Georgia UB 5 – Schild – small arch in first hs – toe on Ray, nice hip open – bail, legs apart and short of handstand – DLO, piked position, lunge forward. Through it? 9.775.

Florida VT 6 – Thomas – deeeeep landing on her Y1.5, hop back. Didn’t have it this week.

Georgia UB 6 – Roberts – toe on to maloney, good – bail is clean, good hs – shortish final cast hs – DLO, a little flat but solid. 9.850

So Georgia will like that bars score (when we find out what it is). It’s a definite improvement on last week’s performance and should help the pace toward 196. But also I had three of those routines in the 9.6s.

Florida looked like it was starting well on vault and heading toward a huge score, but got kind of hosed on Wong’s vault, and then Thomas didn’t have a strong one,

49.100 for Georgia on bars, 49.250 for Florida on vault. Still waiting on all the Florida vault scores. It’s fine. I’m fine.

Rotation 3

Georgia BB 1 – Magee – straight jump to straddle 1/2, lovely – bhs bhs loso, wonderful foot positions, lean to the side – small hesitation on full turn – ro 1.5 dismount, a little close to the beam, lunge forward. 9.825

Florida FX 1 – Clapper – punch rudi to double stag, travels farrr back on double stag – 1.5 to layout to stag, doesn’t quite get the back leg up to position on the stag – switch side to popa, fine – double pike, bounce back, keeps it in bounds. 9.800

Georgia BB 2 – Cohen – a new one getting a moment – bhs loso and right off the beam – switch, small pause into straddle jump – full turn is nice – side aerial, another lean, breaks connection into split jump – 2/1 is stuck well. 9.150

John says Lazzari was injured in warmups.

Florida FX 2 – Skaggs – wolf double, cleanly around – rudi to a double stag, that one was well controlled and high – 1.5 to layout, slightly larger slide forward on layout but kept back foot down – 9.875

Georgia BB 3 – Schild – aerial, small hesitation into bhs and bhs attempt – large lean at the hips and can’t save it, grabs the beam and then has to jump off – Georgia counting a fall now. Resumes with a tentative full turn – switch to split, good – cat leap to side aerial to full, hop back. 9.125

Florida FX 3 – Blakely – double arabian with a large lunge forward this week, possible OOB – switch ring to switch 1/2 – double tuck, small rebound – 1.5 to layout is solid. 9.725

Georgia BB 4 – Hawthorne – bhs loso is high but she can’t correct on landing, leg flies up and she falls – third fall of the rotation – “their coaches say they see moments of greatness” is not auspicious – 1.5 dismount, stuck. 9.300

Florida FX 4 – Baumann – 1.5 to front full, bounce forward out of it – switch 1/2 to 1/2 sissone, pretty sissone, some feet on switch 1/2 – double pike, fairly well controlled – 9.875

Georgia BB 5 – De Jong – full turn is solid – switch to split, strong – aerial, keeps arms moving into straddle jump – bhs loso series and she’s off too. Four falls in a row. Got high on her bhs but not on the loso – side aerial to full, hop back.

Florida FX 5 – Reed – DLO, controls landing, hop to present, coming in a little more forward, but that helps not bounce back – front lay to rudi, slide back – switch side to wolf full, nice amplitude – double pike, good height, another little bounce in place. Strong again. 9.950

Georgia BB 6 – Baumann – side aerial to loso and she fully splits the beam, which will be as good as a fall – I say it was a Korbut – full turn, wobble – beat to switch side, check – 1.5 dismount, leans to hold the stick.

GODDDDDDD. Georgia.

Florida FX 6 – Taylor – No Thomas on floor today – verrrry short double tuck and she has injured her ankle/foot there. Wonder if it happened before the landing because she got very little on that pass to begin with. Well that sucks. Looks bad.

Florida goes 49.225 on floor, ending on a sour note there.

Georgia…five straight falls to end the beam rotation. And it was easy 196 pace before that.

Georgia 46.625 on beam. YEOUCH.

Denver is getting started against WVU with Ruiz on bars – giant full a bit late into hit Tkathev – bail, slightly crooked in the air but fine – DLO, maybe holds the stick. Good. She went 9.875

Rotation 4

Florida BB 1 – Skaggs – wolf single, good – switch to split, nice split extension – bhs loso series, clean in the air – aerial with a check, has to keep her leg up to cover, but a leg-up[ wobble definitely – cat leap to switch side, good split and horizontal position shown – side aerial to full, small bounce back. 9.875

Georgia FX 1 – Perez-Lugones – double pike, secure landing, a bit of chest position – back 1/2 to front 1/1, shaky on landing, a couple small steps – switch side to popa, gets to 180 – double tuck, nailed that landing. 9.850

Florida BB 2 – Blakely – aerial to bhs, comfortable – swtich, attacks it but then wobbles before switch 1/2, no combo – full turn – side somi, hit – side aerial to full, stuck landing – BUT she did not have a leap combination backup to throw in there, so will lose .2. 9.675 still.

Georgia FX 2 – Magee – piked full in, controls step, just some stagger on landing – switch 1/2 to popa, nice work – 1.5 to layout, jusssst pulls that layout around, very low but around – double pike, a bit deep in landing but works it out, lunge present to the side. 9.775

Florida BB 3 – Baumann – bhs loso series, hits it, covers any potential check with arms – switch to split, hit – side aerial, holds again – switch 1/2, huge break and falls – counting the 9.675 now. 1.5 dismount, hop. 9.075

Georgia FX 3 – Roberts – front tuck through to double tuck, bounce back – double pike, very solid. 9.850

Lynnzee Brown with a hit bars for Denver, hop forward on DLO. Denver already at 49.450 before her score.

Florida BB 4 – Wong – switch through to split leap, beautiful – bhs loso, very solid, right on – full turn, smooth – aerial, check, can’t really cover, leg up and a little arm wave – side aerial, secure – side somi, good – 2/1, hollddsss the stick? But she ends up dropping her chest well below horizontal to hold it, which is a major deduction.  9.775

Georgia FX 4 – Lukacs – double pike, good closed pike position, small adjustment on landing – 1.5 to layout, solid layou position – switch side to wolf full, not the most connected dance connection you’ll see on floor – double tuck, solid landing again, chest down. Good work. 9.850

Rachael Lukacs says I could have done that on beam.

Florida BB 5 – Thomas – like that we didn’t see the beginning – overturns full turn some – one-arm bhs to loso, pretty – aerial to beat jump to Korbut, great extension – side aerial to full, small hop in place. At least Trinity is here. 9.950 is objectively too high for the full turn and the non-stick.

Georgia FX 5 – Baumann – wolf 2 and a something – 1.5 to front full, good equivalent lift into her front full – switch side to straddle jump, way over 180 – double pike, secure landing, some form in knees and feet –

Wait what. a 10?

Judges like, “We’re soooo sorry about beam, love the judges.”

Florida BB 6 – Clapper – bhs loso loso, arm wave check – switch, large break, bend forward at the hops beyond horitzontal – redoes it to get her leap combination – side aerial to full, stuck. But not her highest score, which will affect Florida’s total.9.750

Georgia FX 6 – Hawthorne – double pike, controls landing – split leap full to delayed split jump full, cool combination because she was fully traveling during it but that can also be a deduction – front lay to rudi to split jump, traveling a little forward, has to arm wave about it to control. 

9.975 sure why not.

Georgia falling five 10s on beam and getting the same score as last week is the chaos I’m looking for.

49.525 for Georgia on floor ok sure. 194/475 total.

Florida ends up below 197, which I did not see coming after the first two events. The story there is not that different from the last couple meets. An all-over-the-place meet with moments of brilliance and moments of problems and unsettled lineups.

What a journey it was.

Small hop forward for Lynnzee Brown on y1.5. She goes 9.925 to get Denver over 49 on vault.

Alabama and Kentucky starting

Alabama VT 1 – Hudson – Yfull, pretty large bounce back but solid direction and position. 9.775

Kentucky UB 1 – Luksik – a little close on Ray but works through ot – bail, insannnnne save, arches fully to horizontal and somehow pulls it back. DLO, small step – 9.600

Alabama VT 2 – Paradise – solid y1.5, only a small hop forward, some knees. Good. 9.875

Kentucky UB 2 – Angeny – short first hs – 1/2 turn to jaeger to overshoot, hit, some flexed feet in jaeger – short cast hs on high bar – DLO, pretty. 9.775

Alabama VT 3 – Olsen – Did the graphic just says she’s from Ohio? Also the graphics identified Angeny as Nixon. DTY – larger bounce back than last week but solid. Not bad on the form. 9.850

Kentucky UB 3 – Nixon – good first hs – maloney to bail, legs right together – love when the bail is out of frame and we can’t see the leggsssss – FTDT, high, bounce back. 9.850

Alabama VT 4 – Quinn – struggles on her y1.5, large lunge forward and an additional step to meet it. 9.750

Kentucky UB 4 – Bunn – shortish first hs – blind to jaeger, hit – better next hs – bail hs is clean, good feet – rushes final cast hs – DLO, nearly shows the stick but has to step salute before showing control. 9.825

Alabama VT 5 – Doggette – nails the landing on her y1.5, just very small movement, some legs apart at the end, should also take for distance because it’s not the farthest. But the 9850 I have for that is also too low compared to what everything else gets. 9.925

Kentucky UB 5 – DeGuzman – solid first hs – pretty jaeger feet into overshoot – DLO, shuffle back, both feet. Good routine. 9.775, seems a bit low.

Alabama VT 6 – Graber – can’t control her y1.5 either, large bounce forward for .2, great form. 9.800

Alabama 49.225 on vault, which they’ll take for several struggle landings on their 10.0 starts. But got five 10.s into the lineup today.

Kentucky UB 6 – Worley – good first hs – clear hip to tkatchev, shows amplitude – clean pak – cast 1/2 on low, OK – shows final cast vertical with a little loose back – FTDT, shuffle to the side. 9.875

Alabama 49.225, Kentucky 49.100. Nice close one to start.

Rotation 2 from Kentucky/Alabama getting started as we wait for Auburn/Iowa St.

Kentucky VT 1 – Procasky – opens up on her yfull pretty well, chest up, bounce back. 9.850. So looks like they only took the bounce

Alabama UB 1 – Hudson – toe on to maloney, some legs into bail, just a little angled coming into handstands – giant full, late into double tuck, stuck. Solid work. 9.875

Kentucky VT 2 – Wilson – handspring pike 1/2, lands with her chest very low and a large lunge back. 9.725

Alabama UB 2 – Waligora – blind to jaeger, some feet, into overshoot – solid cast hs on high bar – DLO 1/1, better, some pike in the hips, small hop in place. 9.875

Kentucky VT 3 – Nixon – gorgeous high yfull, medium bounce back. 9.875

Over at Auburn, Jada Glenn is back in the lineup on vault. With a yfull, short landing, chest forward and a step. 9.725

Alabama UB 3 – Adams – maloney to pak, legs together – good hs – van leeuwen, legs together – solid cast hs – toe full, goes over and can’t save it, fall. 9.350

Iowa State gets a clean bars from Maxwell in the first position. Some handstands. DLO, small slide.

Kentucky VT 4 – Magnelli – handspring pike 1/2, medium bounce back, not the most distance, chest up better. 9.800

Walsh hits a yfull for Auburn, some pike, smaller bounce back.

Alabama UB 4 – Machado – good first hs – maloney to pak, clena – toe on to van leeuwen, gets it around – a bit late on final cast hs – toe full OK finish into double tuck, stuck. better from her. 9.925

Groth sticks her yfull for Auburn, legs and chest position but great landing.

Kentucky VT 5 – Patterson – handspring pike 1/2, best chest position of the trio, but a larger bounce back.

Alabama UB 5 – Blanco – good first hs – maloney to pak, clean – 1/2 turn on low, fine – rushes final cast hs – FTDT, small bounce up in place, absorbs the landing. 9.925

Hubbard for Auburn hits a y1.5, far but flatter.

Kentucky VT 6 – Worley – y1.5 – small hop forward – like Doggette it’s not the farthest. 9.900

Kentucky 49.275 on vault after the 49.100 on bars.

Alabama UB 6 – Doggette – good first hs – tkatchev to pak, clean, good counter – 1/2 turn on low, somewhat late – a bit short on final cast – DLO, like Blanco, just a little bounce up in place. Good. 9.950

Auburn has Watson up 5th on vault, gets her y1.5 around, more knee form than her usual, hop to the side.

Alabama goes 49.550 on bars. A goof rotation, some loose scoring, but strong work. On a big pace through two events.

Iowa State has been pretty solid on bars so far. Basuel catches close-ish on a jaeger and hops on dismount but should be a useful score. 9.775.

Gobourne – VT – Auburn – y1.5 – lunge forward – good direction, a touch of knees.

Gobourne 9.850 to put Auburn at 49.250 on vault.

Orrego – UB – Iowa State – arches her first hs a lot but puls it back – maloney to pak, leg form – pauses in 1/2 turn on low bar but works through it – DLO, pikes it down but gets it around with a step salute. That should be the drop score, but ISU will be at 49.025 on bars, which is a pace way up on the low-194s they’ve been score

Brown went 9.975 on floor for Denver as they go 49.400. On pace for a hearty 197 at this one.

Alabama with a .4 lead at the halfway point.

Alabama BB 1 – Burgess – one-arm bhs to loso, secure – cat leap is low, into switch side, gets her center of gravity off and falls – switch to beat, hit – small rebound on dismount. Alabama has to work not to go full Georgia now. 9.200

Kentucky FX 1 – Bunn – double pike, good height, little bounce – switch 1/2 to wolf 1.5, wolf looked good, switch has a low back leg – 1.5 to front pike, slide – rudi, controls – 9/850

Alabama BB 2 – Doggette – full turn – bhs loso series, secure, some knees on bhs, better on loso – switch 1/2 is hit – split jump to Chen, would like a little clearer tuck position there, got to be one or the other – 1.5 dismount, small shuffle. Hit.

Auburn leads off bars with Watson – finishes with a stuck FTDT with a little stagger.

Albores into the floor lineup for Kentucky.

Loyim 2nd up on vault for Iowa State has a DISASTER and it’s amazing if she’s OK, which she seems to be but we’ll see about her head. Hand must have slipped, her feet hit the vault, she landed awkwardly on her neck.

Meanwhile Graber is on beam for Alabama – hits her bhs lay-pike – a little tight on her switch – cat leap to kickover to scale, works through it pretty well – gainer full, hit.

Bergstrom on vault for Iowa State has to follow that, good amplitude on a full, bounce back

Smith – UB – Auburn – toe on to maloney to pak, good rhythm – 1/2 turn on low bar is quite late – DLO is under, has to tuck a little and hops forward, so not her strongest.

Graber went 9.900 on beam and Hudson is up now – aerial to bhs loso, strong – switch to switch, OK positions – side aerial, hit – 1.5, holds stick with a lean control.

Brusch – UB – Auburn – toe on to maloney to bail, not quite there on a couple verticals, good legs together – short final cast hs on high – DLO, hop back. Still goes 9.875, which is high for me.

Procasky on FX for Kentucky, nearly OOB on her rudi but looks like she stayed in. Deeeeeep on final double tuck, doesn’t fall, but two lunges back OOB.

Emilie Hong for Iowa State finds the stick on a Y1.5, some knees, some distance. Although she was so excited she fist pumped before saluting.

Gobourne UB – Auburn – great amplitude of tkatchev to pak – late 1/2 turn on low – FTDT, sticks it, deep landing but holds the stick. 9.900

Waligora through beam with a hit, hop forward on landing, so Alabama close to escaping beam now.

Maxwell for Iowa State saves a stick on her Y1.5 on vault with a lean and wiggle to hold it, so ISU somehow ends up on 49.150 for vault.

Lee – UB – Auburn – maloney to pak is lovely into van leeuwen, perfect – short cast hs – FTDT, hop back. I had two short casts in there and hop on landing, so we’ll see how it measures up. 9.900

Blanco finishes beam for Alabama, pretty aerial – bhs loso loso series, right on – swtich to beat,good toes, quickly connected – 2/1, small hop. Good.

Auburn 49.375 on bars to go over 197 pace through two events.

Worley anchors Kentucky on floor, has to avoid a low counter with this routine – full in, holds the stick, chest down – 1.5 to front layout, good extended position on layout – she’s kind of in two minds on some of these landings, am I sticking or am I going to show a controlled step, and it can read as a hesitation – double tuck is solid, controlled lunge.

Blanco 9.925 to put Alabama on 49.250 beam.

9.925 for Worley puts Kentucky on 49.325 on floor, so they gain some ground on Alabama but will trail by .325 and go to beam now.

Auburn to beam in rotation 3

Hollingsworth – BB – Auburn – good full turn – bhs loso, secure – switch to switch 1/2, low position, but solid – strong split jump 1/2 from side position, little arm wave afterward – side aerial to full, holds the stick.

Boychuk – FX – Iowa St – double pike, legs apart but solid landing – 1.5 to layout, whips it around a little – double tuck, secure landing. 9/825

Kentucky and Alabama start the final rotation now

Haigis – BB – Kentucky – lovely loso series – switch, small hesitation into shushunova – full turn is nice – cat leap to aerial, short but saves it, check and a little “i meant to” 1/2 turn – 1.5 dismount, stuck. 9.800

Brusch is 2nd up on beam for Auburn, aerial to split jump, not the highest, secure – bhs loso, hit – some hesitation on leap combinations here – gainer full is solid.

Mitchell leads off floor for Alabama with a low landing on double pike, chest forward and a lunge forward. Does well to avoid that cursed elephant behind her and hit her final pass. 9.875, OK well we know how these scores are going to go.

Magnelli 2nd on beam for Kentucky – bhs loso loso series, leg-up check but holds it, progressively more bend knees as she goes – switch to straddle 1/4, excellent extension – stuck gainer pike.

Stevens up on beam for Auburn following two 9.875s. EVERYTHING IS 9.875. bhs loso series – brings it back with a check as she seemed quite off line – kickover to knee to immediate wolf turn, hit – 1.5, holds stick, a little deep. 9.825

Olsen for Alabama with a piked full in today on floor, but she does have a landing problem on her double tuck to finish, bounce and lean. 9.800

Riegert is 3rd on beam for Kentucky – side aerial to bhs series attempt, looked like her foot buckled on side aerial and while she tried to get the bhs, it wasn’t happening – fall –

Machado is back in the floor lineup for Alabama – double pike, shows control – 1.5 to front pike, a little short, some ragged feet – strong double tuck. 9.925. Home meet, don’t you love a home meet.

Groth – BB – Auburn – bhs loso bhs is on, good – switch to switch 1/2, back leg a little short on 1/2, not too bad on the spectrum – aerial, smoothly controlled – stuck dismount.

Andrea Maldonado on floor for Iowa State – front 2/1 to front tuck, lovely front 2/1, front tuck a little short with a slide back – double pike, small slide – rudi, bounce, but one of the least yucky rudis you’ll see in NCAA.

It’s a fall for Bailey Bunn on ebam, misses her loso series, so now Kentucky counting a beam fall.

Auburn’s numbers looking very good on beam with McLaughlin and Lee to finish. McLaughlin – swithc to bhs loso, well connected – does overturn a full turn in there – attacks switch and straddle 1/2 positions – gainer pike is good.

Looks like Waligora just barely stepped OOB on floor for Alabama. We’ll see if anyone cares. NOPE. 9.925

Maddie Diab has excellent twisting positions on floor.

Worley resumes order for Kentucky on beam. Not her strongest, a crooked switch side, a little hop on dismount. But a good hit.

Lee – BB – Auburn – wolf single, little lean, gets everyone – aerial, arm wave correction – side aerial to loso and falls. Do not recognize.

Auburn had five hits before and will go 49.375 on beam. Well over 197 pace with floor to come.

Angeny finishes for Kentucky on beam – bhs loso loso, pulls it out, some knees – aerial, nicely done, clean – beat to straddle 1/4, shows the extension – side aerial to tuck full, little step. Good.

Graber finishes for Alabama on floor – full in, chest a bit forward with a step – popa, nice extension – switch side through to wolf jump 1.5, clear positions – front tuck through to double pike, good.

With the counting fall on beam, Kentucky is done on 196.275, which is not a bad number but it could have been a big counter. Which is a missed opportunity given the scoring today. 

Graber goes 9.950 as expected to put Alabama on a preposterous number on floor and a 197.650 total, one of the highest in the country so far. Bars was really nice today. Beam had its moments, floor scoring was pure parody, but definitely the best we’ve seen from them thus far. 

Over in Utah land, Utah has a 9.900 on vault from Stanhope so far.

Burch up 5th on vault – finds the stick on her Y1.5 – legs on the block and some knees in the air. 9.900

Suni’s 9.425 on beam with a fall and a couple other errors is my fave.

Arizona State now trying to drop a miss on bars.

Clark – UB – ASU – very nice feet on jaeger, straddles her pak salto – some handstands to take here – DLO is pretty, stuck. 9.875

McCallum anchoring vault for Utah – does the Servente – solid, medium sized bounce back, and flexed feet. 9.825.

Scharf – UB – ASU – maloney, legs apart to pak, hit – 1/2 turn position on low bar is solid – a bit short on final cast hs – FTDT, holds stick with arm wave. 9.875

Utah 49.275 on vault, Arizona State 49.225 on bars.

If there were 9.9 judges on those last couple ASU bars, I feel like we’re going to see some big scores falling in Utah’s rotation.

Steinmeyer opens beam for Iowa State with a fall. Bergstrom follows with a check on a full turn, side aerial to kickover to bhs, works through the combination, a lean – switch to switch, pretty back leg position – cat leap to sdie aertial to full, off line but got it, stuck.

Rotation 2 in Utah

I was too distracted by the uneven floor in Auburn to see ASU’s first vault. Jaslow went 9.725

 

Morgan – UB – Utah – maloney to bhardwaj, pretty solid legs just cross a second at the end – 1/2 turn position on low is good – hits final cast hs – giant full, a little crooked into double tuck, finds the stick. 9.875

Samily – VT – ASU – round of full on back pike, large lunge, solid height.

Hannah Loyim is back out there for beam for Iowa State after that very scary vault fall.

Burch – UB – Utah – she’s getting multiple events today – slight hesitation in hs, hits jaeger – bail, clean, good feet – very strong cast hs on high – DLO, stuck landing. Good. 9.900

Brusch with some very good landing control on floor for Auburn.

White – VT – ASU – yfull, clean position, medium hop back –

Thompson – UB – Utah – peak is pretty – a bit short on cast hs on low – maloney to gienger, a little dead on the hang after but not too bad – DLO, small hop. 9/850

Mangahas – VT – ASU – doesn’t have the control on her yfull landing – bounce back and extra step. 9.900

Palacios just had an insane fall onto the beam for Iowa State.

McCallum – UB – Utah – maloney to pak, good legs together – van leeuwen, very small leg cross at the end – FTDT, little slide. Good. 9.925

Scharf – VT – ASU – very good Yfull, has the height, only small landing movement. 9.875

Isa – UB – Utah – Ray, good counter rotation – shortish next cast – bail – goes over the wrong way and has to correct, doesn’t fall but improveses to get the right direction – giant full, solid vertical position into DLO, hop forward. 9.775

Theodorou – VT – ASU – her Servente – also has a medium hop back, but stronger foot position. 9.875

O’Keefe – UB – Utah – maloney to pak, nice – good 1/2 turn position on low – double arabian, drops into it, opens too early this time though with a lunge back. Add a 1/2 twist?

9.875 for O’Keefe puts Utah on 49.425 and 98.700 after two events, to ASU’s 98.400. Still close.

Meanwhile, Iowa State has Semple finishing things up on beam. Bhs loso series, good amplitude. Full turn, overturns by a tad. Cat leap to switch 1/2 to beat jump. Switch to split, hit. Side aerial to full, stuck. Good finish to the rotation. The counting fall will take away the 196 for Iowa State, but still a major improvement on the first two meets. 

Gobourne finishes floor for Auburn – open double tuck, solid landing – switch side to wolf full, good clear finish position – front full to front lay, just a little stutter on landing – double pike, nailed that landing. Very good.

Iowa State is done on 195.575. Auburn will have a huge total, Gobourne’s score will decide how huge.

9.975 for Gobourne gets Auburn to 197.350, their 2nd-best score ever.

Rotation 3 starting in Utah

Morgan – BB – Utah – round off bhs to loso mount series, arm wave lean – split jump 1/2 to split – side aerial to full, hop back. 9.775

Jaslow – FX – ASU – double pike, controlled landing, chest up, flexed feet – front lay to front full, again controlled, a bit of legs – Ooooooh and she has to fix her knee-made-of-dust brace before her final pass – double tuck, controls alnding. How did she manage to finish on the music if she took time to do that? 9.850, ACL bonus?

McCallum – BB – Utah – good candle mount vertical position – wolf double, comfortable – eeesh, falls on side aerial loso series, right off line – switch to stag – small check on choreo – side aerial to full, stuck. Good finish.

Reeves – FX – ASU – 2.5, controls her landing right in the corner, foot crossing – 1/2 to front full, a bit of loose knees – rudi, controls landing. 9.800

Did she just say she hasn’t seen a whip 1/2 since Kupets?

Randall – BB – Utah – good full turn – bhs loso series, keeps it on the beam but bends to the side and chest lean – sheep, hit – rulfova, hit – 1.5 dismount, step back. Opened the door lots. That chest bend went to horizontal so it’s supposed to be 0.20. 9.650 will have to count.

White – FX – ASU – front 2/1, under, crossover step – front full to front pike is nice, clean position. 9.750

Randall – BB – Utah – side aerial to loso, step back and another bend at the hips to horizontal – switch to split is hit – beat to sdie aerial to ful, holds the stick for long enough. But did have that big break. 9.675

Utah having a Light Georgia on beam so far.

Theodorou – FX – ASU – full in, chest a bit crunched down, step slide – maintains solid wolf position through her elements – 1.5 to layout, layout gets lower – 9.825

Isa – BB – Utah – candle mount is well done – bhs loso loso series, secure, well done, maybe a bit of feet – beat to straddle 1/4, good – gainer full, stuck. Very good.

Mangahas – FX – ASU – full in is a struggle, chest well down, lunge forward – double tuck landing is secure. 9.650

It’s 9.975 for Isa. Judges were like, WE WEREN’T PLANNING SO MANY 9.6s!!!!!!!

O’Keefe – BB – Utah – side aerial to loso, very strong – switch to split leap, good 180s – full turn, nice – cat leap to side aerial to full, step back. Good. 9.950

Scharf – FX – ASU – front tuck through to double tuck, controls step back – doubel pike, nice position, bounce back. 9.850

Utah saves the beam rotation to 49.025, and we can assume that floor will take this well over 197, but won’t be the huge number that keeps pace with what Alabama did.

ASU 49.075 on floor, so still comfortably over 196 pace going to beam.

OK, I’m checking out before the final rotation for podcasting, but we can assume Utah goes 49.525 on floor or whatever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh look, it’s more. Today, Iowa and UCLA travel to Minnesota to vie for the Gymternet Obsessions Cup. While Iowa has already competed twice this season for 195.950 and 196.125, this will mark the debut for both UCLA and Minnesota.

Iowa counted weak bars scores in both of its first two meets so will be looking to get through that event cleanly today to show a more accurate representation of the team’s scoring potential. UCLA and Minnesota are both aiming to make nationals this year so would like to start with at least a mid-196 if not a 197 since that’s the kind of score nationals teams are getting right about now. But it’s also UCLA… so who even knows.

What we do know about UCLA is that Alexis Jeffrey will not be competing because she has transferred, sometime in the last 30 seconds or so, and her social media now says LSU. What we’ve gotten officially on the situation from those involved is nil, but you can read up on the screenshots if this latest debacle has passed you by—but you also definitely want to know what everyone is saying.

No AAers for UCLA today. First years: Chiles on VT/UB. Moors on VT/FX. Padurariu on UB/BB. Malabuyo on VT/BB/FX.

I wish Olivia had just started off with, “OK, here’s what I think about the Alexis Jeffrey situation.”

Rotation 1

Gilchrist – BB – Iowa – side aerial to bhs is hit, just a bit soft in knees – switch to split, shy-ish of 180 – gainer pike, stuck. 9.725

We see Chiles starting in teh background on bars, so….we’re going to need a replay of that. But looks like a hit.

Here we go. Chiles – UB – piked tkatchev to pak, good – shap to gienger as well, just a little back looseness in shap – FTDT, flung out a little, hop back. Solid opener for her. Lots of difficulty. 9.825

Remlinger – VT – MN – short landing on her Yfull, chest down, large lunge forward.

Grotenhuis – VT – MN – does the Yfull, good height and position in the air but a fairly large bounce back

Esparza – UB – UCLA – arches first hs but pulls it back – shap to pak is clean – van leeuwen, legs together – solid cast hs on high bars – DLO, somewhat deep in landing with a slide back. 9.850

Hooten – VT – MN – gets her Y1.5 around but not her best, short with a lunge back, some knees.

Nick – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series, securely landed, knees – cat leap to aerial to beat jump, good presence on her aerial landing because she had half a foot off the beam but continued to get the connection – switch to split, hit – 1.5, stuck. 9.750

Ramler – VT – MN – Y1.5 is good – small hop to the side and some knees.

“Hop to the side won’t give her a perfect 10,” Olivia says. I HAVE SEEN DIFFERENT.

Ulias – UB – UCLA – lovely and high jaeger – solid cast hs – toe on to bail but is crooked on the bail and has to come back the other direction, falls – finishes DLO, hop forward. 9.200

Killian – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series hit, tight hip angle on bhs – front tuck, secure landing – switch to switch, a bit short on switches – 2/1, hop back. 9.800

I feel like Olivia is finding the balance between enthusiasm and identifying deductions well.

Loper – VT – MN – super clean Y1.5 – small shuffle, lovely in the air. Still gets 9.950.

Vance – BB – MN – bhs loso series, securely hit – aerial round-off – split to straddle 3/4, kind of loose in the leg position – side aerial to tuck full, small slide. Good.

Looks like we’ve skipped Padurariu’s bars as we’re now seeing Flatley. Broadcast reports a fall from Padurariu.

Flatley – UB – UCLA – higgins to jaeger, lovely – toe on to bail, perhaps borderline – shortish final cast hs – DLO, strong landing, small rebound in place. 9.900

Kaji – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series, crisp bodyu position – cat leap to side aerial, good – split to split 3/4, hits the position well for a split 3/4 – gainer full, slide back. Good work. 9.925

Quarles – VT – MN – hits her y1.5 – medium bounce forward

Frazier – UB – UCLA – maloney to pak, nice leg position – arches hs on low but pulls it back – good shap 1/2 – hit her feet on her giant swing before dismount – continues with her giants (3 giants now) into DLO, which is pretty but her foot does NOT LOOK FUN right now. 9.525

Kenlin – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series, has toe point, good height – cat leap to aerial to beat, good leg position on aerial – possible small hesitation on landing – switch to split, right up to position – side aerial to full, stuck. Good. 9.900

So…….

Minnesota goes 49.175 on vault, getting a couple good Y1.5s in there, particularly from Loper. The rotation started not ideally, but the last few Y1.5s seem on track.

Iowa goes 49.150 on beam, led by the 9.925 from Kaji and the 9.900 from Kenlin, coming after a run of 9.7s. Really pretty final routines there.

And also UCLA participated.

UCLA counts a fall and the Frazier routine for 48.300 on bars, which is the opposite of what they were looking for. Chiles, Esparza, and Flatley had good ones. The big concern will be whether Frazier’s foot hit was a stinger or an injury-injury. Encouraging debut from Chiles. Showed a lot more difficulty than she needs, so opportunity to pare that down as they go once they need a score from her.

Allie Gilchrist’s beam has been raised to 9.825, and Bridget Killian has been raised to 9.850, so now Iowa is at 49.275 on beam suddenly. OK now? What was happening with that scoring to begin with?

Rotation 2

Killian – FX – Iowa – 3/1, somewhat hunched on landing with a step back – 1/2 to front full to front pike, controls the step – switch side to popa, around – double tuck, chest up, bounce back. 9.750

Padurariu – BB – UCLA – everyone falling over themselves to pronounce Padurariu as Canadian as possible – like the style out of the candle mount to try to fix that skill – side aerial to bhs series, good – nice leap height – beat to sheep jump, pause hesitation to hold the landing – side aerial to full, nearly finds the stick but has to step forward. Good one. 9.825

Greenwald – FX – Iowa – full in, great control on landing – switch side to popa – 2.5 to front tuck, a little shuffle stagger on landing, not too significant. 9.825

Remlinger – UB – MN – good first hs – Ray, a little close – toe on to bail, leg separation – solid vertical on high, back a little loose – strong dmt, FTDT and stuck. 9.775

Malabuyo – BB – UCLA – wolf single – bhs loso series, great height, check on landing and an additional squeeze to hold it – aerial, hit – split to split ring jump, ring position works for her – bhs 1.5 dismount is verrrry short, nearly lunge back into the beam itself. 9.675

Leneave – UB – MN – clear hip to tkatchev  – rushes cast hs on high – bail, collapses a little in the back – not quite there on the cast hs positions – FTDT, bounce forward. 9.700

Zivat – FX – Iowa – front tuck through to double tuck, chest up, good – split leap full to split jump full, good 180s, just looses her feet a bit – rudi to loso, has the height, knee positions – 9.875

Willmarth – UB – MN – high Ray, catches with some elbow bent – bail, good vertical, legs go apart a little – giant full to double tuck, stuck, a little late on the full. 9.850

Kenlin – FX – Iowa – front 2/1, overcooks it with a lunge forward – 1.5 to layout, verrry short, nearly sits it down with a very deep squat and has to tuck around the layout. 9.250

Loper – UB – MN – maloney to pak, lovely – 1/2 turn on low, pretty solid position – good cast hs on high – giant full somewhat late into double tuck, little rebound in place. Nice. 9.850

Guerin – FX – Iowa – drops right down into FTDT, excellent – switch side to popa to straddle jump, shows oversplit – front tuck through to double tuck, large step but keeps the front foot down. Good. 9.925

Looks like Poston fell on beam for UCLA, which we didn’t see.

Campbell – BB – UCLA – bhs loso, quick arm wave to avoid movement – split leap to switch 1/2, hit – switch, good height, a little hesitation into straddle 1/4, small control adjustments – gainer full, high, slide back. 9.850

Henderson – FX – Iowa – full in, huge, just a bit steppy on landing – switch side to popa to straddle from her as well, hits position, not quite Guerin level but hits it – front tuck through to double tuck, a tad forward, small bounce – 9.900

Ramler – UB – MN – good first hs – maloney to pak, perfect legs together – van leeuwen, great – hits her cast hs – toe on to FTDT, stuck landing, maybe a little stagger. Yes please.

9.950. I see.

It’s 49.275 for Minnesota on bars to take the total to 98.450, and Iowa does the same on floor thanks to Guerin and Henderson to get to 98.550. A close one between them so far. UCLA on 97.225 after a 48.925 on beam that included a counting 9.675 from Malabuyo for that dismount and a 9.725 from Flatley that we did not see.

Rotation 3

Frazier pulled from the floor lineup. Tratz is in now.

Koch – BB – MN – bhs loso, small quiver correction on landing – beat to split 3/4, very short of split position on that one – kickover to scale, held well – 1.5 dismount, stuck. 9.800

Ulias – FX – UCLA – punch rudi, bounce back – switch to split leap 1.5, pulls it around – split leap full to split jump full, filling up on dance elements, which is the highlight for her – 1.5 to layout, maintain straight position well – 9.800

Laplante – VT – Iowa – Yfull, like the late twist – large bounce back. 9.700

Pearl – BB – MN – bhs loso series, secure, some knees in the bhs – aerial, arm wave check – switch to split, solid amplitude – 1.5 dismount, step to the side. Definite option here. 9.575 is tight.

Kenlin – VT – Iowa – solid Yfull – small hop back, some pike position. Still goes 9.850

Loper – BB – MN – bhs loso series, smooth – kickover, small lean – switch to straddle 1/4, somewhat tight oin straddle position – 1.5, lovely, stuck. 9.875

Zivat – VT – Iowa – tsuk full, does well to hold the stick on her landing, leans forward and some leg position

Tratz – FX – UCLA – full in, around, chest a bit forward with a step – split leap full to split jump full – 1.5 to layout, some foot separation in 1.5, good layout – double tuck, bounce back OOB.

Tyson – BB – MN – bhs bhs loso, off line and falls – switch to straddle 1/4, solid – 1.5 dismount, good distance and stick. Will have to count the Pearl 9/.575

Killian – VT – Iowa – good dynamics on her Yfull, bounce back

Moors – FX – UCLA – here we go – opens by stitching your life back together – double front, very good landing, smallest movement – very high loso side element – switch ring to split leap full to wolf full, hits her 180s – front full to 1/2 to double stag, loses control there some. Correct amount of pain of a nation. 9.875

Guerin with a very large bounce back on her Yfull.

Henderson VT – Iowa – great dynamics on yfull of course – medium bounce back

Ramler – BB – MN – bhs loso series, holds it well – aerial to beat, smalll lean – beat to split ring jump, great – side aerial to full, little bounce. 9.950. Beam judges trying to even out bars judges?

Malabuyo – FX – UCLA – double tuck, little bounce – 1.5 to front layout side pass, gets loose in layout – switch ring to switch 1/2, well done – double pike, some chest position. Solid. 9.775

Minnesota went 49.075 – including a 9.875 from Nylin, getting over 49 despite counting that Pearl score.

Iowa 49.100 on vault to continue to pad the lead.

Campbell – FX – UCLA – deep in her full in with a lunge forward – very nice split positions – front lay to front full, controls the step forward – double tuck, good landing, chest up. 9.825

UCLA goes 49.125 on floor, their most real-life rotation so far.

After 3:
Iowa – 147.650
Minnesota – 147.525
UCLA – 146.350

Good battle between Iowa and Minnesota here. Moment of truth for Iowa on bars after those last two meets. Minnesota has had more mistakes but also more Ramler. UCLA all over the place as foretold.

Rotation 4

“UCLA, they’re in striking distance.” They are not.

Iowa has a struggle dismount from Tolan first up on bars, double tuck was very low and multiple bounces back. 9.400

Koch – FX – MN – front 2/1 to front tuck, lunge a little sideward and some knees – split full to wolf full, could show a clearer horizontal position – solid side pass, day of side passes – rudi, secure landing, again some ragged knees

UCLA has a 9.725 vault from Malabuyo

Vance – UB – IOwa – blind to jaeger, somewhat close – overcasts the next handstand and has to hop off. Well, Iowa didn’t solve the problem on bars, I guess. resumes with a good bail – hitting casts on high – late giant full into double tuck, holds the landing but also fairly low amplitude on double tuck dismount.

Leneave – FX – MN – double pike, chest forward, hop to present – switch 1/2 and wolf full are short of position. 1.5 to layout is solid. double tuck, has to tucccccck to pull it around, lunge forward. 9.650

We see Moors hit her vault in the foreground. Chest down but hit.

Replay of Malabuyo VT – bounce back on Yfull, some pike, little extra control step.

greenwald – UB – Iowa – hits tkatchev, tight hip position in the air though – toe on to pak, solid – DLO very short, large lunge forward.

Ramler – FX – MN – split ring jump, great position, somwhat out of control on landing – 1.5 through to 2/1, controls – switch ring is perfect – rudi, little bounce – 1.5 to layout, hit, arches it around some. 9.925

39.700 is the national AA lead.

Flatley – VT – UCLA – nice open position on her yfull but also a large bounce. 9.750

Steffensmeier – Iowa – UB – good piked jaeger – pak, hit – casts, can’t get get 1/2 turn and has to do another – cast 1/2 to high – giant full to double tuck, deep, hop forward

Remlinger – FX – MN – nice amplitude on full in – switch side to popa, shows 180s – 1.5 to layout, again showing good height on these elements – double tuck, easy, chest up, small slide. Will get a good number. 9.850

Kaji – UB – Iowa – blind to jaeger, hit -pak very arched but fine, hit – solid cast hs on high – DLO, small hop

Moors VT – UCLA – so we’re finally seeing this vault – handspring pike 1/2, chest well down but brings it up quickly, only small foot movement.

Hooten – FX – MN – full in, very solid – switch side to popa, good rise in popa, the switch side could be a little higher – front full to front pike, easy smooth and stuck – double tuck, chest a little forward, step. 9.900

Ooooh man looks like UCLA had vault misses from both Poston and Chiles. Disaster.

And we’re seeing CHiles. She goes for the DTY and it is crazzzzy out of control with 750 hilarious lunges back.

Poston – VT – UCLA – handspring pike 1/2 right to her elbow face

Loper FX – MN – front lay to rudi, rudi is very nice, arches around that layou some – switch positions look good – 2.5, just a tad short with a slide back – 1.5 to front lay, controls step. 9.850

Good floor rotation overall for Minnesota. Ready.

Kenlin – UB – Iowa – good first hs – maloney to pak, legs together well – toe full, not too bad, somewhat late- double tuck, holds the landing.

Campbell – VT – UCLA – huge Yfull, excellent, just a little hop in place. 9.900

SO.

Minnesota takes the meet with a 196.900, which they should be quite pleased with as an opening mark, especially counting a 9.5 on beam. There are still some ragged questions early in the lineups, but they look strong.

It’s just 195.950 for Iowa after a poor bars rotation that took away what could have been a huge number based on the first three events. Counted a 9.6, 9.5, and 9.4 there to get the same total as UCLA’s rotation.

UCLA ends up on 194.850 after counting misses on both vault and bars and counting a 9.6 and a 9.7 on beam. It was not great. In contrast to Georgia’s opening 194, for UCLA we at least see where all the 9.9s would come from, but they also look far from that point right now. This is the kind of performance that got UCLA its slow start reputation for all those years, where they were like, “We might have choreography ready for the first meet…now, who can vault?”

It’s a fun slate, starting with the celebration of St. Football Counterprogramming’s Day as Alabama and Florida meet in week 2 and mark the first time that non-championship college gymnastics has been live on a free network. My meet preview: Both of the vault judges are named Carol. Week 1—and also everything—tells us that Florida is the favorite. In the score department, Florida would need 198.050 in this one to move ahead of Michigan for the #1 ranking, and since Florida had a number of meh moments last week for 197.675, that 198 mark doesn’t seem out of the question. For Alabama, look out for progress in the vault and floor landings over last week to try to get a score they might want to count.

Following that, we’ll have a matchup between Cal and Stanford that will hopefully answer the question, Stanford…huh? Stanford is almost always one of the biggest unknowns in a college season, and this year even more so. Are Irina Alexeeva and Isabela Onyshko making their debuts this year? Last season kind of didn’t count for Stanford, so where are you? Are you as competitive as the names on your roster, or nah?

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Shallon Olsen returns to Alabama’s lineups today and Lilly Hudson is also slated to make her debut.

Florida is adding Schoenherr and Wong to the vault lineup today, though looks like Blakely is not vaulting.

In other news, looks like LIU got just its highest beam score ever with a 48.800.

Red alert: Bart is sooooooo excited.

Morgan Hurd ACL tweet special report. Thanks, we hate it.

But what about COVI…..a sellout wheeeeeeeeeeee

Highlights of some of our favorite 9.975s from the Utah/Oklahoma meet.

The timing here isn’t ideal with two commercials before anything happens. What is this, the Pac-12 Network?

“All of the other coaches are in awe of her ability to recruit.” Yes, friendly awe. Very impressed and not at all pissy.

Rotation 1

Florida VT 1: Skaggs – yfull, very pretty in the air, just a tad forward and a little movement on landing, great in the air. 9.875, a little high for me but we can live with that.

Alabama UB 1: Gaskins – close catch on Ray but works out of it – pak, small leg break – 1/2 turn on low bar looks fine – kind of a tight performance from her in these handstands – DLO is arched to the point of being over-arched but fine. 9.750

Florida VT 2: Edwards – getting another performance – Yfull – good distance but a larger bounce back, not quite the flare of Skaggs and a bigger landing error, though did have better distance. 9.775

Alabama UB 2: Waligora – blind to jaeger to overshoot, nice amplitude on that combination – DLO 1/1, small leg break in the air, bounce back, good work. 9.700

Florida VT 3: Schoenherr – Y1.5 and only just kept it to her feet, came in quite short with a lunge back and an additional step. That means they’ll have to count the 9.775 from Edwards. 9.625

Alabama UB 3: Adams – shortish first hs – maloney to pak, great legs together – can leeuwen, legs together again – good hs on high – full a little late into double tuck, bounce up. 9.850

Florida VT 4: Reed – very strong Y1.5 from her, great distance, a little movement on landing. Great work. 9.975???? She didn’t stick. Bowers redux. Sigh x1000.

Alabama UB 4: Machado – maloney to pak, leg break a little – toe on to can leeuwen, legs together – stolid hs on high – toe full is lateish and a bit crooked, double tuck, small slide. 9.850

Florida VT 5: Wong – ro 1/2 on pike 1/2 is not awesome – pretty short on landing, chest well forward, hop forward, fought to cover as much as possible but a large break. 9.725

Alabama UB 5: Blanco – holds first handstand for 8 months – maloney to pak, nice – 1/2 turn on low, good toe point – good cast hs on high – FTDT, stuck. Very nice. 9.925

Florida VT 6: Thomas – gorgeous 1.5, great in the air, stuck the landing. She did have to fight a little to hold the stick with a shiver back and forth, which is supposed to be an .05 deduction for control, but we’ll see if they take it. It was an actual stick, unlike Reed’s, and her form is crisper. And it’s a 10, you knew it would be. It was better than Reed’s 9.975, so…

Alabama UB 6: Doggette – tkatchev to pak, well done, good height – 1/2 turn on low is a bit late – shortish cast hs on high, borderline – DLO, nearrrrrly showed the stick, little movement. 9.925.

I thought Adams was stronger than Machado in that 9.850 pair and I thought Blanco was stronger than Doggette in that 9.925 pairing.

It’s 49.350 for both teams in the first rotation. Look how that worked out.

Florida all over the place on that first rotation—had two great vaults, one strong one from Skaggs, one fine one from Edwards, and two weak ones from Wong and Schoenherr. You KNEW they weren’t going to leave this week without giving out a 10, so the scoring is not surprising. Alabama looked solid on bars today. The handstands and pirouettes were not at postseason level, but we didn’t see large problems.

Rotation 2

Alabama VT 1: Adams – comes in somewhat short on her Yfull, leans to cover but does have to step forward. 9.700

Florida UB 1: Blakely – maloney with legs apart – pak is cleaner – 1/2 turn on low, slightly sluggish – strong cast hs on high 1/2 turn with some leg quiver – double front, cowboy, stuck. 9.775

Alabama VT 2: Hudson – her debut, competes a Yfull, fairly large lunge back, a little high and not the biggest off the vault. 9.750

Florida UB 2: Skaggs – Tiny Bows explainer before her routine – tkatchev to pak, good rhythm – slight lean in 1/2 turn on low – good cast hs on high – DLO, tries to sell the stick but has a college salute out of it. 9.875

Alabama VT 3: Olsen – DTY and one of her best college DTYs, small slide back, some knees, the usual. 9.850

Florida UB 3: McCusker – good first hs – maloney to pak, good legs on pak – toe on to van leeuwen, not her highest but gets it – higgins into double front 1/2 out, toes poitned, better dismount this week, step back. Had a couple handstand hesitations in there, but good. 9.750, thought the score would be more Florida home meet for that since this one was clearly better than last week.

Alabama VT 4: Quinn – hits her Y1.5 – medium step forward

Florida UB 4: Schoenherr – toe 1/2 to jaeger, very high – toe on to bail, legs together – good cast hs on high, a couple of the others were shorter – double front 1/2 out, holds the stick with a little arm wave. 9.825

Kathy is like THIS ROUTINE SAID EQUALITY TO MEEEEEEE

Alabama VT 5: Doggette – nearly sells the stick on her Y1.5 but does have to step back into salute. Probably also a deduction for distance when you compare to Reed and Thomas. 9.875

Florida UB 5: Thomas – maloney to pak, nice – good hs on low – toe on to van leeuwen – wayyyyy overarches her handstand on high bar and a somewhat magical save to pull it back. DLO stuck. 9.750. Not great.

Alabama VT 6: Graber – good height on her Y1.5, medium step forward, strong work. 9.825

Florida UB 6: Wong – maloney to pak, not a lot of momentum into that pak and straddles it – shap 1/2 is clean – also arches her handstand on high, not as much as Thomas – DLO, shortish with a step forward. 9.750

Florida not an awesome bars rotation and was scored much more realistically and conservatively than Florida’s vault rotation was. Tale of different meets on different events and different rotations here.

Alabama goes 49.125 on vault, for a performance that was more complete than Florida’s vault performance but didn’t have the saving WOW vaults like Florida got for Reed and Thomas. Also maybe the judges read the code of points between Florida’s vault and Alabama’s. Weird how that happens sometimes.

Florida just 48.975 on bars with Wong and Thomas both having handstand problems and Wong showing a couple other form things in her routine. Even with that handstand error, Thomas isn’t scoring as high on bars through the first two routines this year, would be interested to see the judges sheets on those.

After 2: Alabama 98.475, Florida 98.325

Alabama will be living for this right now and Florida, not that.

Rotation 3

No Trinity on beam again today.

Florida BB 1: Skaggs – wolf single, a little tight but fine – switch to split, lovely positions – bhs loso series, comfortable landing – aerial, extended knee – cat leap to switch side, pretty solid horizontal position – side aerial to full, little movement, pretty routine. Skaggs for beam anchor. 9.875

Alabama FX 1: Olsen – piked full in, a little leg stagger and a bounce back – switch to split leap 1/5 to split jump full, not bad on those positions – front tuck through to double tuck, chest forward, some forward adjustment. OK. 9.725. Got her for leg position on several occasions there.

Florida BB 2: Blakely – aerial to bhs, keeps it moving quickly enough for credit – switch to switch 1/2, hits it, loses her feet some in the switch 1/2 – side somi is comfortable – side aerial to full, good extension on side aerial, stuck landing. 9.925.

Alabama FX 2: Mitchell – double pike, presents out of it – switch to wolf 1.5 to wolf full, loses control a little at the end, good height, not quite oaall the way on the wolf1.5, double tuck, controls landing, chest slightly down – 9.825

Florida BB 3: Lazzari – eessh, off line on her loso series and has a thigh scraper fall down the side of the beam – lovely split positions – side aerial to full – good finish. 9.150

Alabama FX 3: Waligora – L turn a little closer to horizontal this week – front lay to front 2/1, a little under, and a hop to the side correction on landing – split leap full to wolf full, some back leg on the split jump – the music in the second half requires a Sacramone tight caress or invalid – 1.5 to layout, good in the air but uncontrolled landing with large step. 9.800

Florida BB 4: Baumann – bhs loso series, solidly done – switch to split, good 180 on switch – side aerial with an uncharacteristic break for her, leg goes up – another large break on her switch 1/2, leg up above horizontal there and a twist to the side – 1.5 dismount is stuck. 9.625 that will have to count

Alabama FX 4: Hudson – nice front 2/1, presetns out of it, solid form and amplitude – switch 1/2 to wolf jump full, nice – 2.5, again solid form throughout – double tuck, just a little backward movement on landing. Good addition to the lineup. 9.850

Florida BB 5: Wong – switch through to split jump, lovely and smooth – bhs loso series, very strong – aerial, extended, smooth, good – side aerial, small adjustment – side somi, she’s doing a lottttt of individual D acro elements here – 2/1 dismount, college stick lean out of it. Lovely routine, but I feel like this composition is asking for deductions, like you could tack on some connection elements on some of this acro and wouldn’t have to risk as much. 9.900

I like the part where the live scores died.

Alabama FX 5: Blanco – double pike, pretty feet, a little movement – switch ring to switch 1/2 to popa – double tuck, better control there – finishes front full to layout, lower for her there with a step forward. 9.900

Florida BB 6: Clapper – bhs loso loso series, holds it well as it wasn’t her most comfortable in the air, just a small adjustment – switch with a break, no dance series – redoes it for switch to split, hits it the second time – side aerial to full, small step.9.775

Florida have away a LOT in this beam rotation with a fall and two other hesitant routines. Gets out of there with a 49.100

Alabama FX 6: Graber – full in, some movement today with a slide back – popa, good – switch side through to wolf 1.5, well done, clearly around, not trying to get away with something – front tuck through to double pike, good, chest just slightly forward.

Graber goes 9.925, which is a little high for me but not egregious. The scores haven’t been crazy since that Reed 9.975 on vault.

Alabama floor lineup was a LOT more complete and competitive this week than last week.

After 3: Alabama 147.775, Florida 147.425

But, Florida goes to home floor and Alabama goes to beam. Neither team amazing so far today, but Florida really didn’t do itself any favors on beam there.

Rotation 4

Alabama BB 1: Burgess – one-arm bhs to loso, clean and secure – cat leap is a little bit of an afterthought, does not hit the position, into switch side, hit, some feet – switch to beat jump, solid – side aerial to full, good opener. 9.775 Thought it might be higher, but Skaggs went 9.875 in that opening spot and Skaggs is definitely stronger form-wise in terms of knees and feet and split positions.

Florida FX 1: Skaggs – wolf double, just does seems to pull it around for two complete turns, borderline – rudi to a very high double stag – split leap full to split jump full – 1.5 to layout, just does control that back foot, good layout, small amount of crossing in the 1.5. Good. 9.900

Alabama BB 2: Doggette – a little tight on full turn but fine – bhs loso series, hits it, small lean – bea t to switch 1/2, high, not quite to 180 though – split to Chen flic – 1.5 dismount, somewhat out of control with a full tenth step. 9.750

Florida FX 2: Blakely – double arabian, step forward OOB, not what Florida needed – very nice leap positions – double tuck, controls the step – 1.5 to layout, good height on 1.5, loses some form on the layout and comes in a bit short. 9.725

Alabama BB 3: Olsen – switch to switch 1/2, small balance correction on landing – bhs loso, some better layout position but another arm wave correction – good full turn – aerial, hit – some front knee – downgrade dismount, bhs 2/1, little slide. Nothing big but threw in a number of .05s in that routine. 9.800

Florida FX: Baumann – 1.5 to front full, hit, dance out shows some lack of control for me – switch 1/2 to sissone, lovely positions, overturns the switch landing some into that 1/2 turning sissone everyone does – double pike is a big problem, chest well down, large stagger. 9.750

You knew the scores would be there for Florida on floor if they took them, but they’re not taking them.

Alabama BB 4: Hudson – aerial, some knee into bhs to loso series, hit – tentative pause on choreography – switch to split, OK, back leg a little iffy on switch – side aerial, secure, chest down – 1.5, little hop. Best of the rotation. 9.875

“Dana Duckworth says she’s going to remind us a little of Sarah Finnegan.” In which way though?

Florida FX 4: Wong – 3/1 is lovely in the air, well around, did hop to the side – split leap full to split jump, good split positions, again a little bouncy – 1/2 to front full, gives away a little more in knee position on that pass – double pike is very strong, controlled step. Nice. She’s getting there. Beam and floor better than last week. 9.925

Alabama BB 5: Waligora – bhs loso series, fairly large break with the leg up to horizontal – side aerial is solid – split jump to tuck full, another small correction out of that, good completion of element – 1.5, hop forward. Fine, gave away things though. 9.700

Florida FX 5: Reed – DLO, great, very high, a little steppy on landing for a .05 – front lay to rudi, again some bouncing on landing – switch 1/2 to wolf full, clearly around – double pike, again great height, very strong work here, such good tumbling, am interested to see what the judges do because there were a couple must-take landings though.

She got a 10.

I am UNMOORED.

Alabama BB 6: Blanco – Alabama needs a Blanco beam to save the potential Florida nonsense – aerial, pretty – bhs loso loso, strong – switch, shows good compsure to avoid showing a check into beat jump because she was a little off – 2/1 dismount, small bounce back. 9.950 also actually a little high for me for that one, but you know, look at floor.

Florida FX 6: Thomas – needs a 9.950 to win, 9.925 to tie – DLO, excellent, shows a little more foot control on her landing as well – front full to front layout to sissone, actual human perfection – split leap 1.5 to straddle 1/2, which is not the usual combo but her positions are very clear – double pike, slide back. So…you have to take .05 for the slide. But I would honestly give this a 9.950, and they already gave Reed a 10.

Kathy just said lit.

Oh, OK Trinity got a 10.

Florida comes back to win with 197.000 to Alabama’s 196.925.

Shocked, shocked to find out that there are 10s being awarded at this network-televised Florida home meet.

I mean, let’s be real, Florida should be thanking its lucky judges for that result because it wouldn’t have happened at another venue and there were some clear 9.975s and 10s that weren’t real and made the difference in the result.

But also, the reason Florida was able to be meh and held up by the judges anyway is because they do have that potential for brilliance and the higher ceiling than Alabama, and Thomas and Reed carried that team all the way home today. Florida has a lot more routines that are at least vaguely believable as 10s. Alabama was the more consistent team today, but other than Blanco’s everything and perhaps Graber’s floor, doesn’t have the same potential for 9.950+ routines, and that ultimately hurt them today. Even though they were better. What a sport. Cool cool.

And we still get to do Stanford and Cal in a sec!

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Noteworthy absences in Cal’s lineups today are Watterson and Perea.

Pac-12 showing highlights of Kyana George to preview this meet is a real stab in the sternum.

Justin went for subtlety on the jacket today. Understated professionalism. Good for a business meeting or a communion.

Rotation 1

I think this is the first time Jim has encountered “she understood the assignment.”

Cal VT 1: Bordas – clean Yfull in the air, good height, fairly notable bounce back. 9.775

Stanford UB 1:  Waguespack – toe on to maloney, small leg break to pak, again only very small break – 1/2 turn on low bar is fairly late – cast hs on high, short – DLO, step back.  9.775

Cal VT 2: Li – finds the landing well on her Yfull, just a little movement back, shuffle – again solid height. 9.750, surprised that’s lower than Bordas, would assume they took for two separate steps there.

Stanford UB 2: Brunette – 1/2 turn on high into deltchev, hits it, fingertips, connects to overshoot, some legs – short cast hs on high, but good DLO, stuck. That’s better bars from her. 9.775

Cal VT 3: Schank – lovely yfull position, medium bounce back – good direction and distance. 9.800

Stanford UB 3: Alexeeva, very interested to see her – very short first hs – toe 1/2 to piked jaeger, lovely – pak, good form – the skills are so pretty but these handstands are soooooo short, going to destroy the score – double front, and falls. Drag.

Cal VT 4: Clausi – does just the yfull but it’s a good one – very small slide back, chest up well. 9.850

Long delay for Alexeeva’s score. 9.200

Stanford UB 4: Neault – small loose back moment on first hs – maloney to pak, good amplitude, some legs on maloney – short cast hs on high – toe full into direct double tuck, small hop back. She also had some handstand things that will hurt the score but potential there. 9.825

Cal VT 5: Loveee that we missed DeSouza‘s vault. Love it. Replay – great stick on her 1.5, some clear leg form and separation on the block, but has the landing. 9.900

Stanford UB 5: Bryant – good first hs – toe on to tkatchev, hit – pak, perfect – 1/2 turn on low is excellent – handstands are next level compared to the rest of the team so far – DLO, basically stuck, may not have held it long enough. Great. 9.950

Cal VT 6: Lauzon – very high and pretty Yfull in the air, she can do a 1.5 – definitely has the amplitude for it, hop up in place. 9.850

Stanford UB: A Gutierrez – shortis first hs – toe 1/2 to jaeger, good release – bail, leg break and some hip angle – 1/2 turn to double front 1/2 out, holds the stick very well on landing, chest down. She has a lot of small leg breaks in there, but if they can work those out, she’ll get a big score. 9.800

Cal goes 49.175 on vault, which they’ll take for an opening. DeSouza’s was strong, and Lauzon and Clausi gave them good fulls, despite downgrades.

Stanford goes 49.125 on bars, which on the standard of what we have become used to for Stanford on bars, is a massive victory. Like, there was a whole lineup and some good routines. And of course Bryant was excellent. Bars scoring maybe loose but after the floor rotation we just watched, I’m not even really sure what life is, so….

Rotation 2

Stanford VT 1: Chrobok – hits a yfull, looks like a fairly large bounce back – some pike present throughout. 9.675

Cal UB 1: DeSouza – small arch on first hs – blind to piked jaeger to overshoot, good amplitude, legs together – solid cast hs on high bar – FTDT, a bit of feet, small hop back. Solid. 9.850

Stanford VT 2: Navarro – yfull from her as well – medium hop to the side, again a piked shape and chest a little down, smaller bounce than Chrobok. 9.750

Cal UB 2: Li – small shiver in first hs – big Pak – hits hs on low bar well – toe on to van leeuwen, legs together throughout – giant full was close to finished on time, maybe a little crooked at the end, connected to double tuck, stuck landing. 9.850

Stanford VT 3: Brunette – Yfull, better distance than the first time, again a clear pike, bounce back. 9.750

Cal UB 3: Schank – blind to piked jaeger, verrry close to the bar, tries to work out of it but can’t catch the overshoot – finishes DLO with a lean to hold the stick. 9.225

Stanford VT 4: Neault – yfull-on to back pike, gets solid amplitude for this vault – chest medium position – bounce back. 9.750

Cal UB 4: Williams – nice first hs – maloney to pak, legs right together – 1/2 turn on low, solid handstand position – good cast hs on high bar – DLO, little hop back. Well. That routine is going to be a thing. 9.875

Stanford VT 5: Bryant – huge Yfull, just a little bounce, great amplitude, very small piked position. 9.875

Cal UB 5: Bordas – blind to high jaeger to overshoot, a bit of feet on jaeger – great hs on high – giant full to double tuck with a lean adjustment to hold the stick. 9.850

Stanford VT 6: A Gutierrez – Y1.5 intended, it was rather tucked in the air and she also came up wellllll short and sits it down. 9.050

Cal UB 6: Green – good first hs – gienger is also reallly close but she’s able to work through hers into overshoot – FTDT, little bounce in place. 9.875

I don’t understand the score range on bars there, with Green tying for the best score with that close catch. And getting the same number as a pristine bars from Williams.

Why are we just sitting here watching athletes watch exhibitions?

Cal goes 49.300 on bars, Stanford 48.800 on vault.

After 2: Cal 98.475, Stanford 97.925

Rotation 3

Cal BB 1: Clausi – kickover front and an immediate fall – is that the first time she’s fallen on beam? I can’t remember one – resumes with a hit bhs loso series – wobble on her leap combination – tuck full dismount, bounce back. 9.100

Stanford FX 1: Neault – double pike, drops into it, chest somewhat down – switch to split ring full with a step, you knoe, split ring full stuff – rudi, gets a little ragged, step – 1.5 to layout, some legs, fine. 9.775

Cal BB 2: DeSouza – cat leap to aerial, check, leg up, tries to pretend she was just going to scale like a Golden Globe nominee – bhs loso series, very small adjustment – beat to sheep is secure – sissone, smooth – 1.5, stuck landing. Brought it back well at the end. 9.850

Stanford FX 2: Brunette – rudi, some feet and chest position, secure landing – solf jump full to split leap full is a little cheated in terms of rotation – double tuck solid height – 9.775

Cal BB 3: Bordas – aerial, covers her arm wave into a connection to split jump – bhs loso series, secure landing – switch to split, some back foot, hits 180 – bhs gainer full and completely college salutes herself into a step back. 9.900 is high there.

Stanford FX 3: Alexeeva – double pike and collapses down to sit it – I blame Valentina – gets crooked on a wolf jump full and has to arm wave it and doesn’t quite get it around – finishes with just a layout. So not full composition there either, not sure if that was a post-fall decision or the plan. 7.650

Cal BB 4: Li – aerial to split jump is very nice – bhs loso series, little arm lean after and some soft knees in the air – beat to sheep, secure landing – gainer tuck full is really strong, good stick. 9.925

Stanford FX 4: A Gutierrez – 2.5 to front – camera angle is tooooo closeeeee to these passes, some crossed leg, controls landing – split leap full to popa, around – double pike, chest down and some stagger in the air but holds it. 9.825

Cal BB 5: Lauzon – pretty flexibility display to start – switch with a little hesitation before split jump, not enough to jeopardize the combo – bhs bhs loso, small adjustment on landing – good full turn – aerial, leg-up check – side aerial to full, stuck. A bit tentative but a hit routine. 9.850,

Scores soaring more on beam than in the first couple rotations.

Stanford FX 5: Bryant – Full in, awesome, yes – front tuck through to high double pike, just a small rebound – switch side and popa, doesn’t get up to split on that switch side this time – open double tuck, little bounce. Good work. 9.925

Cal BB 6: Kane – wolf single, good – side aerial loso and falls, looked like she was off line on side aerial and corrected to the other side on her loso – Cal counting beam fall – hitch kick with a hesitation into switch side – side aerial to full, holds landing with arm wave.

Stanford FX 6: Zeng – front lay to rudi, a little low, slide back – split full to popa to straight full is an enjoyable combo – double tuck, chest forward but pulls it around, step. 9.775

Cal goes 48.625 on beam with the counting fall, Stanford 49.075 on floor to sit on 147.000 to Cal’s 147.100, which is closer than one might have thought. Stanford might even 196, but that would require getting through beam.

Rotation 4

Stanford BB 1: Onyshko getting a look today as well – note that Widner has been absent – bhs loso series, very solid – switch ring, little shudder before beat jump – aerial to split, some back leg, but solid – gainer pike, stuck. Really nice debut. 9.875

Cal FX 1: Quinn – front lay to rudi, solid control – switch side to popa to wolf jump, shows clear positions – double pike is well short, stumbles forward and hands down. 8.975

Stanford BB 2: Waguespack – split jump to straddle 3/4, pretty good – kickover, little correction to bhs but keeps it going, wobble on landing, lean and arm wave – kickover, arm wave – gainer front layout full dismount, nice landing. 9.600

Cal FX 2: Clausi – double pike, high, bounce back – switch side to wolf full, solid – 1.5 to layout to double stag is comfortable – double tuck, secure landing, chest just a bit down. 9.875

Stanford BB 3: Stephenson – aerial to beat, well done – bhs loso, brought it back on well, no check – split jump to sheep, nice height on that combination – gainer full, a little ragged, hop back. 9.850

Cal FX 3: Li – front 2/1 to stag is smooth, some leg crossing in twist – front full to front lay, secure landing as well – switch 1/2 to wolf full, shows her 180s – pretty routine. 9.900

Stanford BB 4: Navarro – signature jump to sit split in cross position – bhs bhs loso with a little correction side to side – full turn, larger break, bend at the hips – swtich to split jump to straddle 1/4, good extension there, especially on the straddle 1/4 – 1.5, hop forward. 9.750

P12 reports a 9.925 for Li. But we have a delay. Jim says one judge went 10 for Li. Cal was like, FLORIDA THIS.

“The computer wouldn’t take the 10” is nothing. Interested to know what actually happened there.

Cal FX 4: DeSouza – double pike, small bounce back – switch side to wolf full, good clear positions – 1.5 to front full, really nice leg position, most people doing that combo are doing it sloppier, lunge forward out of it – rudi to double stag, some arms to control in the air but keeps it in the right place. 9.875

Stanford BB 5: Neault – bhs loso, somewhat tentative but hit – smooth full turn – aerial, very smooth, good – switch ring to beat, solid switch ring position – opening herself up to some rhythm deductions because there’s pausing in here, but good 1.5 dismount, stuck with a stagger. 9.875

Misleading communication of scores here. You can’t include the fall score in the in-progress update unless we know it’s counting.

Cal FX 5: Lauzon – front 2/1 to front tuck, good in the air, comes up a tad short with a step back – switch ring to split leap full, a little soft in the switch ring, some bouncing on landing – 1.5 through to 2/1, deep landing but pulls it around with astep. Through a hit day. Still gets 9.800

Stanford BB 6: Bryant – good full turn – bhs loso series, secure, whips those arms right down, just some knees – beat to switch split jump, hit – front tuck, right on – bhs bhs double tuck, stuck. Yes you did. 9.925

Cal FX 6: Bordas – “This meet may be out of reach for California” is…not correct. She needs like a 9.750 to win – do they not know what dropped scores are? Do they not know what math is? – double tuck, lunge forward, chest forward – 1.5 to front layout, good form on 1.5, arches over the layout just a tad – switch to switch ring 1/2 – rudi, solid landing.

ooohhhh it’s 9.725 for Bordas, which gives us a tie. Surprised by the Bordas score. She was well short on her first pass but the rest looked good and Lauzon had similar errors for 9.8.

Did Jim and Amanda have any help at all? Ah, they’re just realized that dropped scores exist now.

196.275 is a huge score for Stanford to open with. Cal won’t be pleased with it and won’t hope to keep it around, but…counting fall.

And Bordas’s score gets raised to a 9.775, which makes a little more sense, and Cal comes out with the win. Still won’t love the total though.

On this fine and terrible Saturday, let’s check in with Arizona State’s visit to #1 Michigan and Denver’s visit to Ohio State.

ASU/Michigan: Scores, BTN+
Denver/OSU: Scores, BTN+

In score watch, Michigan will need to go 197.150 to stay ahead of Utah this week following Utah’s drubbing of a beam-fallsy Oklahoma last night (with Florida still to compete tomorrow). Michigan will also aim to retake the title of top score in the country, which now belongs to Utah with that 197.775. Denver, meanwhile, will be looking for 197.075 today to move ahead of Oklahoma in the week 2 rankings.

According to the live scores, Natalie Wojcik already has a 10.275 on vault.

Touch warmup has started at Michigan. This is the prompt behavior we like to see.

Rotation 1

Michigan meet underway first, so we’ll start there.

Guggino – VT – Michigan – Y1.5, does not have the landing this time, just a little short but that caused a lunge back and an additional step. 9.700

Redmond – UB – ASU – blind with some legs into jaeger, good height, a little soft – bail, angle on catch – shortish cast hs on high – DLO, chest down with a hop forward. Solid start, gave away a bunch of .05s but fine. 9.750

Wojcik – VT – Michigan – gorgeous Y1.5 with a stick. OK there. And it goes 9.975. She has the dynamics for it. Would like a better angle to see it though. Our angle looked a little soft in the knees but it’s not usually for her.

Samiley – UB – ASU – short first hs but good toe point – 1/2 to jaeger to overshoot, pretty, good amplitude throughout combo – short hs will get her but lots of potential here – DLO, shuffle back. 9.825

Heiskell – VT – Michigan – another lovely 1.5, medium size hop forward. 9.925

Theodorou – UB – ASU – good first hs – toe 1/2 to jaeger, floaty – toe on to bail, small leg break – hitting cast hs well – DLO, straddles the first salto and has to pike the second with a little hop, great until the dismount.

Morrison – VT – Michigan – nails her Y1.5 landing as well – very strong. Lands just a little crooked, but held the landing well. Annnd another 9.975. I wouldn’t have gone 10 there because of that landing stagger.

Mangahas – UB – ASU – piked jaeger to overshoot, nicely done – short cast hs on high – FTDT, holds the landing. Solid.

Brooks – VT – Michigan – she has a large bound forward on her Y1.5. 9.800

White – UB – ASU – van leeuwen, legs together pretty well – does a giant 1/2 on high bar that is late of verticla – into bail – DLO, a little short, step. Not wild about the composition with that Russia-style orphan 1/2 turn, but she didn’t gave away too much. 9.825

Wilson – VT – Michigan – She finds the landing on her Y1.5 – it’s like an alternating thing – hers was a little deep so she had to slide back. So just a 9.950 there you know.

OK deep break Michigan just went 49.625 on VT with a counting 9.800.

Scharf – UB – ASU – maloney into pak, some leg separation on both – a little crooked on 1/2 turn on low – FTDT, high, shuffle back

So a huge vault rotation for Michigan. I had a couple legit 9.950s in there, not as…you know…enthused as the judges. But they stepped up the landings over last week. If I’m going back and counting I think I had 49.450-49.500.

It’s 49.225 on bars for Arizona State, which is overshadowed by the Michigan score but they’ll be pleased with those numbers. No one gave away huge things, mostly just little messies.

Denver and Ohio State has only just now started, Ruiz leading off bars for Denver with a nice DLO to finish.

Hands down on a yfull from Colby Miller for Ohio State, which means they’re already counting 9.550.

Some really awesome closeup of Sydney Jennings’ blurry hands on the vault. Blurry! 9.700! Would like to see more resolution!

Rotation 2 is up for Michigan/ASU

Heiskell – UB – Michigan – good first hs – blind slightly crooked to jaeger, a hairrr close and then her pak got kind of funky in the air, saved it but I wonder if it was too high? Leg form. Finishes with her normal pretty full to double tuck, but shouldn’t be a higher score for her. 9.875 still, which is high for me there.

Jaslow – VT – ASU – bounce back on Yfull, a little pike, nice. 9.800

Brenner – UB – Michigan – shortish first hs – good jaeger to overshoot – DLO, little slide back. Solid. 9.875

Samiley – VT – ASU – round off full on back pike, gets it around, chest pretty far forward. 9.750

Morrison – UB – Michigan – rushes first hs a little – great position on piked gienger – clear hip to bail, some hip angle on catch – not quite as crisp in the hs positions as the others – DLO is higgggh, step back. 9.825

Mangahas – VT – ASU – has to sell the landing on her Yfull some, chest forward and a hop and pulls her chest up as quickly as possible.

Wilson – UB – Michigan – blind to piked jaeger, a little close on jaeger, good hs afterward – bail, holdddds that handstand well, could have easily hone over the wrong way – not her best cast hs today – DLO, lunge back. Things to take. 9.800

Scharf – VT – ASU – best vault by a tonnn for ASU – good open on her Yfull, controls the landing –

Brooks – UB – Michigan – good first hs – blind to piked jaeger, solid – toe on to bail, like Wilson she almost has too much arch but holds onto her bail vertical – DLO 1/1, bounce back. Not a lot to take until the tenth on dismount landing. 9.875

Theodorou – VT – ASU – Servente and it’s very nice – that vault is so in – good amplitude and chest position – bounce back. 9.900

Lynnzeee Brown alert at Denver – shap to pak is great – loses her leg form slightly on the van leeuwen today – DLO is huge, hop forward.

Wojcik – UB – Michigan – toe on to deltchev to overshoot, great – strong cast hs on high – DLOnot her highest DLO but found the landing savvily to hold the stick. 9.950.

Wojcik helps Michigan to 49.400 on bars to keep them over 198 pace through two events. Not quite at the level of vault, more form things in a few of those routines, but when you have Wojcik, it’s going to come out as a strong score. Vore in exhibition, good dismount, but the bail was not going to make it into this lineup right now.

ASU goes 49.075 on vault, which again they’ll take. Some iffy moments early, but Scarf showed a pretty full and Theodorou will get some big scores with that vault. Compared to McCallum doing the same vault last night, Theodorou had more amplitude and crisper position but McCallum had more landing control.

Helpfully, both our meets are in a rotation break right now.

Denver got 9.850 for Brown on bars to go 49.100, which is not quite the pace they wanted, but is ahead of Ohio State’s 48.825 on vault.

At Michigan, it’s Michigan 99.025, Arizona State 98.300 after two. Arizona State also over mid-196 pace through two, which would be a great start if maintained.

Rotation 3 – Michigan/ASU

Guggino – BB – Michigan – full turn, hit – bhs loso series, small lean on landing and then an arm wave to bring it under control – split jump to split 1/2, larger break there with a bend and another arm wave – cat leap to side somi is more secure – bhs 1.5, step forward. Gave away a bit too much there. 9.675

Jaslow – FX – ASU – double pike, solid landing – front lay to front full, controls step forward, some legs in the layout – switch side was fabbbb, got a little lower in the popa – double tuck, collapses a little in the knees but works it out. 9.825

Denver adds Iwai to the vault line for 9.750 today.

Wilson – BB – Michigan – hitch kick like her life depends on it – bhs loso series is way off and falls, so high and soooo off line – Michigan counting the 9.675 now – split and split series, I like that they ditched the side split because it didn’t work for her. Double tuck is strong, step back.

Marcheli – FX – ASU – double tuck, secure landing but chest well down – split leap full to split jump full, back leg low on the jump – 1.5 to front full, gets very crooked on that combo and can’t get it to her feet – all the cool kids are falling on their second routine of the rotation, y’all.

Morrison – BB – Michigan – holds candle mount well – bhs loso series, arm wave on landing but works through it – cat leap to switch 1/2, leg-up check – full turn, holds it to prevent overturning – she’s tentative but avoiding large errors – another little arm wave on side jump – gainer pike dismount stuck. 9.825.

For Denver, Mundell lands somewhat short on her Y1.5 this week and has to jump back to save the landing, 9.750.

Thompson – FX – ASU – double tuck is well short, saved it for no fall but a large lunge forward – double pike, chest also forward but not as much, still steps forward again – 1.5 to layout, has to tuck the layout pretty significantly to get it around. 9.625, actually thought it would be lower. Oh big split. 9.500 and 9.750. I’m with 9.500.

Brooks – BB – Michigan – bhs loso loso series is wonderful – switch too switch, hits it, perhaps a little looseness in the back leg on the second switch – kickover front, litttttle lean movement walking out of it – bhs 1.5, bounce forward. 9.825

White – FX – ASU – front 2/1, a littel under, steps to the side – switch ring to ring 1/2, which gets low in the front leg – a little low on final combo pass but controlled.

Brown on vault for Denver – also comes up a little short on her Y1.5, step back and some soft knees in there today.

Heiskell – BB – Michigan – cat leap to side aerial, holds without a check with some quick arms – switch to switch, nice, keeps her extension on both elements – bhs loso series, holds that one as well – full turn, squeeeeeeze – 1.5, floaty. 9.925

Berger anchors bars for Ohio State with some nice extension on her maloney to bail, has the toe point, small leg breaks here and there. giant full to  stuck double tuck. 9.850

Theodorou – VT – ASU – full in, chest pretty far down, controls the landing – split leap full to wolf jump full to wolf jump 3/4ish?, starts to get out of control toward the end of the combo – 1.5 to layout, a little low on the second element –

Wojcik – BB – Michigan – aerial to beat jump, lovely – switch to split jump, hits her 180s – bhs bhs loso, also secure – lots of arm waving between final element and dismount – 1.5 dismount, again someone manages the stick despite not having the height she wanted, which you could take, legs apart. Another 9.975 for Wojcik.

Scarf – FX – ASU – front tuck through to double tuck, solid, chest a little forward – double pike, bounce back, solid chest position – switch 1/2 to wolf full wolf full, keeps it under control, a little short on swithc position.

Michigan’s rotation score saved by Wojcik again for 49.225, though that rotation did little to assuage the feeling that beam will be the question mark nail biter for Michigan this season.

Denver went 49.050 on vault to sit on 98.150 after two events. Ohio State picked up a little ground with a 49.075 on bars.

OK Isabel Mabanta on floor for Denver just did a ring 1/2 that was….pretty? It was pretty. Like I didn’t want to immediately barf after seeing it, and I don’t know what to do with this experience. Long wait for her score. Did the judges also die of shock?

Miller is second up on beam for Ohio State after 9.700 for Schweitzer. bhs loso and a CRASH of a fall as she slips off. Think it was more just jarring than scary as a fall, but that was a CRASH.

Rotation 4 – Michigan/ASU

Thompson – BB – ASU – bhs bhs and falls, off line and couldn’t connect – cat leap to switch side, a little low but hit, small correction afterward – side aerial to full, holds the landing, piked in the air.

Heiskell – FX – Michigan – double arabian is well landed – 1.5 to layout, clean, controls step – switch 1/2 to wolf jump full, shows clear landing positions – double pike, comfortable. Good. 9.925 OK now. Man, if it had been one of her good bars days.

Marcheli – BB – ASU – candle mount, held comfortably and longggg – wolf double gets teetery but hits it – side aerial to bhs and somehow makes that into a hit series despite the fact that I think her foot folded in half at one point? – 1.5 dismount, good stick. 9.800

OMG we’re still waiting on the floor score for Denver.

Brenner – FX – Michigan – full in, hit, chest down – 1.5 to layout – switch side to popa is a little bouncy and didn’t show super clear landing positions, overturning the switch side – double pike, hit. 9.950 is too high.

Michigan’s like, hi we’re Oklahoma now bye.

Jaslow – BB – ASU – side aerial to side position ish? Leans and keeps it on the beam. Bhs loso series, secure – switch to straddle 1/2, nice – cat leap to side aerial to full, stuck. 9.825

Wojcik – FX – Michigan – double pike, bounce back, possible OOB but it was out of frame – split leap and straddle positions are ideal – front 2/1 to front pike, good amplitude and extension – rudi to straddle jump, nice control. Beautiful. Just the first landing that got her and will keep this from being an all-time AA performance. 9.775, and she did go OOB.

White – BB – ASU – bhs loso series, secure landing – aerial, a little bit of knee bending, connected to beat jump – split jump to stag ring, nice – side aerial to full, hop back. 9.875

Morrison – FX – Michigan – full in very good, legs together, chest up, controls the step – front lay to front 2/1, solidly landed as well – switch 1/2 to wolf full, huge – double tuck, chest a bit down, another secure landing. Judges left themselves no room to reward this or separate it. 9.950.

Redmond – BB – ASU – bhs loso series, lean and a little step – pulls aroudn wolf double – split and sheep jump, little pause in between if the judges feel harsh, which they have not been today – whhhattt happened to her on dismount? – I believe the idea was a switch leap to running gainer pike? But she got off line and it ended up being one of the weirder dismount I’ve ever seen? 9.575 somehow.

Brooks – FX – Michigan – full in, nailed landing – front tuck through to double tuck, little bounce – split leap and split jump are excellent – double pike, great landing. 9.925. You had to take for the double tuck landing, but…this was still the best one…

Nice loso series and side somi for Scharf on beam in the final spot for ASU. Switch to split, hit – 1.5 dismount, hop. They’ll get to drop that 8 at least.

Wilson – FX – Michigan – open full in is a little short, step forward – front lay to front full, comfortable – switch side to popa, huge amplitude – double tuck, pops to salute quickly to cover that her chest was a ltitle forward. 9.950. Why not.

Michigan goes 49.700 on floor, which ties a program record and brings the total to 197.950, which is also tied for the 5th-best Michigan score of all time.

Michigan may have won a national championship last year, but this is perhaps the moment Michigan truly arrived as a famous team. Only famous teams get home floor rotations scored like that. It was well done, but also come on. That’s multiple tenths too high.

Elsewhere, Lynnzee Brown with a very strong DLO on floor, good control – 1.5 to front layout to sissone, clean, under control – switch ring to switch 1/2 – double pike, nice, keeps front foot down.

9.900 for Lynnzee Brown. You know, because I definitely watched that and thought, this is worse than the five counting floor routines for Michigan.

FINAL: Michigan 197.950, Arizona State 196.275

That’s also a really useful opening score for Arizona State, especially considering how much trouble they had on beam and floor.

After three rotations, Denver is on 147.225, Ohio State on 146.775. Also, why is this meet a full rotation behind?

Rotation 4 – Denver/OSU

Brown – BB – Denver – kickover front, works quickly into bhs – switch to split, nice positions, which have steadily improved during her college career – aerial, good front leg position, connects to wolf jump – gainer full. Strong. 9.925. OK the scores just got here from Michigan I guess.

Gonzales – FX – Ohio State – double pike, chest forward, little bounce, good height – front lay to front full, controls the step – wolf double and a full cover roll out of it to make Paseka proud – 1.5 to layout, hit, a little low on layout. 9.725

Schlottman – BB – Denver – bhs loso series, hit, little arm wave and some tight hip position – switch to split 3/4, gets it around – side aerial, hit, some soft knees here and there but nothing big – gainer full, stuck. Solid work. 9.775

These floor score delays. My god.

Warga – FX – Ohio St – 2.5 to punch front, a little bouncy but good height – switch 1/2 to wolf full is solid – ends with a front 2/1, it gets crazy on landing with a fairly large lunge as she wrenches it around, but she stayed on her feet. 9.725

Mabanta – BB – Denver – bhs loso series, lovely – swtich 1/2 to split, yes, correct – bhs to 1.5, stuck landing. Awesome. I would have that rise on Brown’s score. 9.950.

Hlavach – FX – Ohio St – nice height on her piked full in, bounce back – 1.5 to front layout, I like her clear and crisp layout shape on that layout – switch side through to split leap full to popa, not bad on the popa even as third element, a little soft on split full – double tuck, very secure landing. Pretty work. 9.800 is actually low for me compared to the nation for that routine. Fair because of that first pass landing, but we see higher for worse routines.

Ruiz – BB – Denver – hitch kick to switch side, comfortable – bhs loso series, hit, covers with a definitely-meant-to step back – full turn slightly tentative – side aerial to split, hit – gainer pike, shuffle back. Fine. 9.825

Edwards – FX – Ohio St – double pike, lovvveee how she opens out of that, but a bounce back – 1.5 to front layout, can’t control the step out with a possible OOB – switch side to popa – double tuck, very secure landing. Had some landing errors on the first two passes but lots of ability there. 9.875

Thompson – BB – Denver – side aerial to loso with a holding-her-second leg up adjustment – switch to switch, not the highest split positions but OK – side aerial to full, stuck. 9.900 is high for me for the loso error.

Hankins – FX – Ohio St – full in, lands short with a lunge forward – front lay to 1/2 to split jump is simple but clean – switch ring to split leap full, around clearly – double tuck, chest up well, a little slide back.

Mundell – BB – Denver – great amplitude on her bhs loso series, but a pretty large break, leg up around horizontal – switch to switch 1/2, again great element execution but a larger balance break, leg flying up and twisting to the side – side aerial, arm wave correction, smaller but still a correction – 1.5, slide back. That will be the drop. 9.500.

Denver still goes 49.375 for a rotation with some standout sets from Brown and Mundell. That takes the total to 196.600, which won’t be quite what they wanted but is certainly fine for this point int he season.

Gagliardi – FX – Ohio St – front lay to rudi, controls landing, – switch side to popa, high, overturns the switch side somewhat – “she’s giving you facials” – double pike, deeper landing, lunge back. 9.800

Ohio State ends up 195.750, which is an upgrade on last week’s performance against Arkansas.

Well, that does it for this session of meets. I’m sufficiently dead of scores, as per the prophecy.