If you have a friend, such as myself, who specializes in producing controversial gymnastics hot takes for the fun of it, you’ve probably heard before that Boise State has been at a technical disadvantage to at least one of its conferencemates for years and only continues to win the MRGC title on superior performance under pressure. Well, the Broncos are significantly hindered after the loss of Courtney McGregor, so… game on?
BYU has looked rock solid this year and is a significant favorite to win this meet. Abby Stainton and the Miner sisters have been positively menacing, and in combination with a fully-healthy Shannon Evans, this is a team that should frighten basically every team outside of the top five. But Southern Utah is also very talented and lurks in that “Eh… I could… will I?” zone where mental game lags behind ability. With freshman nerves behind superstars Karley McClain and Shylen Murakami, this year would be a great time to change that, or at the very least start getting 196s regularly.
Rotation 1: Southern Utah vault, BYU bars
Tervort (SUU): FTY, really pretty in the air, hop back. 9.725
Miner (BYU): Cast over to Jaeger to overshoot, lovely. Short on a handstand, double layout with a little hop. Really pretty start. 9.8
Smith (SUU): Full on, tuck off lovely with a tiny hop in place. 9.825
Hubbard (BYU): Cast over to Jaeger, turnover quick but a little close to the bar, great bail. FTDB open to begin, wraps in late and a little bounce in place. 9.825
Kho (SUU): Far back on the table, long vault and comes in a little underrotated, hop forward. 9.775
Alvarado (BYU): Toe to Maloney to Pak, strong. Really long legs and knows how to use them. Double layout just a touch whippy and a hop. 9.825
McClain (SUU): Full lovely, little hop back. 9.85
Cyrenne (BYU): Shy on a handstand, toe to Maloney to bail great. Missed a handstand, double lay a little underrotated with a big hop forward. 9.775
Alfaro (SUU): Beautiful full, little hop in place. Good one. 9.875
Pitou (BYU): Bail good, FTDB open and weird but strong landing. 9.875
Ma. McBride (SUU): Flat on the table, odd in the air and awkward landing. 9.7
Stainton (BYU): Blind aggressive to piked Jaeger, overshoot. FTDB stuck-ish. 9.9
After 1: BYU 49.225 – SUU 49.050
Fine start from both teams, hard to tell much but great for BYU to get through a strength so cleanly on the road.
Rotation 2: BYU vault, SUU bars
Mathews (BYU): Yurchenko half, really good. 9.85
Nipp (SUU): BLind to Jaeger, high but close to the bar, great bail. Toe on to toe shoot, aggressive, double lay stuck. WOW 9.85
Bennett (BYU): Full on, tuck off, bit more flight but major hop back. 9.775
Murakami (SUU): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, hitting handstands beautifully, FTDB stuck. Lovely. 9.95!!
Pitou (BYU): FTY, hop back. 9.675
Tervort (SUU): First handstand a little low, clear hip to Gienger and it’s a BEAUTY to overshoot. Double lay nice with a hop.
S. Miner (BYU): One and a half, fine, bit of knee yikes on the landing but upright. 9.75
Rosza (SUU): Blind to jaeger to overshoot, beautiful and clean. Blind full to double back, tries to hold it, has to step. 9.925
Evans (BYU): Yurchenko half, step back, beauty in the air. 9.875
McClain (SUU): Short on first handstand, clear to Gienger with a leg flicker. Good bail, double lay with a good landing. 9.875
A. Miner (BYU): Fine FTY, hop back. 9.75
Kho (SUU): Maloney to Pak, close on the catch there but all right, toe to FTDB 9.8 I don’t know why she’s the anchor but aight.
After 2: SUU 98.450 – BYU 98.225
WOW SUU bars. 49.400 and I’m not even mad, there was some really spectacular work in that lineup. So great to see Murakami get her due, I feel that she’s often hard done by. Now the T-Birds have got to go to beam, which is not their favorite thing to do overall.
Rotation 3: SUU beam, BYU floor
Jorgensen (SUU): Switch straddle quarter, kick front, BHS LOSO lovely, little check. Split straddle quarter, definitely feel like I messed up the first leap series, gainer full stuck. 9.725
Stainton (BYU): Round off to double back great, one and a half to Barani to split, sorta missed the split jump rebound, switch ring tour jete half, double back great.
Smith (SUU): Round off LOSO, side aerial. Cat leap tour jete 1/4, full turn, one and a half with a lean forward. 9.85! Good for her. Definitely one who’s getting
Vitkauskas (BYU): Front double full, one and a half front lay, switch side Popa, Rudi good. 9.875
Murakami (SUU): Silivas mount, full turn, BHS LOSO tentative but on. Cat leap side aerial, split sheep with a check. Side aerial back full stuck. 9.8
S. Miner (BYU) Double lay, little bit of an ankle situation on the landing. Double pike good, tour jete half wolf full. One and a half fornt lay front pike is great.9 .825
Nipp (SUU): Front aerial, BHS LOSO, side split half great. Split split 3/4, gainer full is a beauty. Really good one. 9.9!!
Pearson (BYU): Front double full, switch ring switch half. Rudi great. One and a half front lay is great. 9.85
McClain (SUU): Switch straddle quarter, BHS LOSO and falls. One and a half stuck. 9.375
A. Miner (BYU): Double lay, tour jete half split full. One and a half front lay good, very precise lower leg work in her choreography, double pike slightly awkward but fine landing. 9.85
Hernandez (SUU): Full turn, BHS LOSO great. Beat double stag, front aerial to split with as low connection, side aerial back full with a hop. 9.725
Evans (BYU) Double pike great, front lay front full. Tour jete halfwolf full, double back nailed. What a season debut! 9.9!
After 3: BYU 147.550 – Southern Utah 147.500
WOW THIS IS SO CLOSE AHH I’M STRESSED
This is such a good, clean meet. Only one fall so far, SUU surviving beam is a huge deal and so is Shannon Evans coming back on floor! I’m having such a good time!
Rotation 4: BYU beam, SUU floor
Mather (BYU): BHS LOSO, switch straddle quarter, cartwheel gainer full. 9.85
Loomis (SUU): Good first pass, forgot to write about it, double pike. switch side Popa. Front lay front half. 9.775!
A. Miner (BYU): Hitch kick kick front BHS, quick and clean. Full turn, beat split 3/4, cartwheel gainer full. 9.95!!!
Nipp (SUU): Double pike, little front foot scoot, front lay front full, switch ring tour jete half, double back good. 9.775 what a day for her!
Cyrenne (BYU): BHS LOSO, a bit tentative but on. Full turn, switch switch half wolf. Gainer pike with a hop back.
McClain (SUU): Double pike, one and a half front lay, switch half Popa. Double back beautiful. One of her best ones. 9.875!
Stainton (BYU): Full turn, switch split quarter short on splits. One and a half twist nailed. 9.95!
Ma. McBride (SUU): Double pike great, front lay front full. Tour jete half split full, double pike good. 9.875
S. Miner (BYU): BHS LOSO quick and clean. Full turn, switch, missed the connection. Split straddle quarter tentative but she has a leap series now. Hitch kick side aerial, one and a half stuck.
C. Kho (SUU): Full in, step forward but not underrotated. Switch side Popa a little underrotated, front lay front full good. Double pike with a step forward again
Evans (BYU): BHS LOSO aggressive, full turn, hitch kick kick front with a little check, switch straddle quarter, BHS one and a half stuck.
JOZWIAKOWSKI – SUU: SHE’S BACK she’s one I love to watch so much and this is her 2020 debut. Rudi back tuck, two and a half and somehow flops onto her side. Oh well she’s back I’m happy.
BYU JUST GOT A 197 WHAT IN THE WORLD
FINAL: BYU 197.075 – SUU 196.600
This is one of the cleanest meets I’ve watched in a long, long time. So many sticks, so many handstands. A massive amount to be proud of for both of these teams.
VT – Alfaro (SUU) Evans (BYU) 9.875
UB – Murakami (SUU) 9.950
BB – A. Miner, Stainton (BYU) 9.950
FX – Evans (BYU) 9.900
AA – A. Miner (39.350)
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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