We’ve got another top 10 matchup in Fayetteville! The Razorbacks are entering their first meet against a team other than LSU–the home-and-home nature of this season is fun in some ways, but makes week three feel almost like a fresh start in this case. Arkansas came within inches of upsetting LSU week one, and blew a similar chance with bars mistakes week two. Despite a wider margin in the loss, the Razorbacks scored better in the second go-round, a promising sign for their home fortunes this year. Florida is more out of reach, but this meet could very well be closer than you assume. Arkansas is chasing a 197; it has a way to go, but the number is possible.
The Gators have been No. 1 since preseason rankings, with really only Oklahoma and Michigan in sight in the rear view mirror. This week is a chance for Florida to really separate itself from those two, especially with a cleaner bar rotation. Trinity Thomas fell on beam last week. It was weird. She’s only fallen once before; we have to assume it won’t happen again, and that alone will give the Gators a few-tenth cushion over last week’s 197.250.
Phew folks, did you also start your night with Minnesota at Michigan? What a mess! Let’s hope that didn’t set the tone for the whole night. The early SEC meets, Big 12 and EAGL seemed to be swimming along fine, so maybe it was a one-meet curse.
There’s something on SECN+ called the Woo Pig Classic. Appears to be indoor track and field. A good, solid name. (I can’t really talk. I come from a school that says Oskee Wow Wow despite being uh pretty white. Mhmmmm. It’s all whack.)
Rotation 1: Arkansas VT, Florida UB
Pennese (Ark): YFull, twisted a touch early, step back, some hips. 9.875 wow high.
We’ve got Razorback alum McGlone on the call!
Richards (UF): Legs on Maloney, bail hand loose. Good handstand. DLO, leg sep and a touch of a hop. 9.85
McGlone is great at this so far! Really good attention to detail.
Johnston (Ark.): Yfull, good body, just about stuck, really sold it. Some tiny leg sep. 9.875, correct for that vault.
Gallentine (UF): Great first handstand. Toe hand to Maloney to pak, good throughout. Little off on blind on the low bar. DLO, medium step back. Good in the air. 9.8, must’ve just been the blind.
Olszewski (Ark.): Yful, head out, small hop. 9.85
Skaggs (UF): AA tonight folks!!! Tkatchev to pak, good, great height. Solid handstand. DLO, some legs and a hop. 9.875
Shaffer (Ark.) Yhalf, her usual straight body, hop to the side. 9.8
Schoenherr (UF): Toe blind to straddle Jaeger, huge! Toe hand to bail, good catching position. Double front half out, low chest, fought for it but they’ll take a little step I think. 9.85, yeah, the dismount landing.
Hambrick (Ark.): Y1.5, faaaar back on the table, back on her heels, takes two big steps in a squat. 9.55
Thomas (UF): Maloney to to uprise. Pak, solid. Toe hand to Van Leeuwen, tiny toe separation. DLO true stick. 9.975, ahhh it could’ve gone 10.
Elswick (Ark.): Yfull, great body position, holds a stick. Not huge distance from the table. 9.875
Clapper (UF): In for Lazzari, seems like. Blind to pike Jaeger. Bail hand, good. Nice last handstand. Blind full to double tuck stuck. Solid set for her! 9.85
Hickey (Ark, exh): Yfull, big hop back, head out.
Lazzari (UF, exh): Ahhh okay here she is. Tkatchev, some loose knees. Toe hand, very good, pak, little close. Toe hand to double tuck.
AFTER ONE: Ark 49.200, UF 49.400
Okay good start for everyone! Good to see Elswick back. She’s only on vault tonight per the broadcast, with that sprained ankle. It was MEGA taped, but didn’t seem to bother her. Florida looked strong. Handstands were there, most landings, good all around. The Hambrick vault was flukey, so Coach Wieber will be glad to know that if something weird like that happens, the rest of the lineup can hold things together.
In other top of the table news (I’ve been watching a lot of soccer in the pandemic, go with me) No. 2 Oklahoma is now counting a fall on both beam and floor. Eyes emoji.
Rotation 2: Arkansas UB, Florida VT
Richards (UF): Yfull, good body, hopped a touch right in place. 9.825
Lovett (Ark.): Ray, nice! Bail hand short. Blind full a little early stuck double tuck. 9.85
Lazzari (UF): Yfull, flares it, really nice landing. Couldn’t see her feet, can’t say if she shuffled at all. 9.85
Gianfagna (Ark.): She’s working back from a foot issue. Ray to immediate bail, touch loose. Short last handstand. Full-out stuck! 9.85
Skaggs (UF): Yfull, BIG distance, small hop back. 9.85
Scalzo (Ark): Jaeger to bail, solid. Blind full late to double tuck, deep in the knees and falls. 9.275
Schoenherr (UF): Y1.5, knees throughout, slight foot movement on landing. 9.95
Shaffer (Ark.): Toe hand. Maloney, some leg sep on the back swing, bail touch short. Her lines are so nice. DLO, small hop. 9.875
Reed (UF): Y1.5, overcooks it, big step forward. 9.85
Hambrick (Ark.): Fall redemption time from last week. Blind to pike Jaeger to bail, loose core in the bail. FTDB, true stick. 9.9
Thomas (UF): Y1.5, tiny hop, some loose knees in the air. 9.875
O’Hara (Ark): Blind to Jaeger, good catch position. Bail hand tiiiiiny bit shy. DLO stuck. She’s on a roll. 9.9
Rutz (Ark, exh): She was the second fall last week, just a low pressure way to come back. Tkatchev, good. Clear hip hand to bail hand, touch short. Blind full to double tuck, hop back.
AFTER TWO: Ark 98.525, UF 98.775
The Razorbacks are keeping this close! Bars looked good after last week’s misstep, so they’ll be pleased with that. Florida was solid on vault, but held back by those hops and steps. That’ll get cleaned up later in the year, though.
Rotation 3: Arkansas BB, Florida FX
Awww Jenny Rowland’s mom is here from Oklahoma watching.
Gianfagna (Ark.): Bhs loso, tiny wobble. Cat leap to front toss, no problems. Beat to straddle half, dropped her chest a touch. RO 1.5, good landing. 9.8
Skaggs (UF): FHS rudi to split, good. Travelled back pretty far on the jump but stayed in bounds. Jump series; splits were good, she was moving across the floor, couldn’t see her feet for rotation. RO 1.5 front lay, solid. Good first set back! 9.825
Lovett (Ark.): Back toss mount. Switch to split, touch low back leg on both. Front aerial tiny wobble loso to bigger wobble. Little bobble on choreo, she’s just a bit stiff. Side aerial 1/1, stuck. 9.8
Richards (UF): DLO, leg sep and just generally loose. RO 1.5 to front lay, good body position throughout. Going to level with you, missed her jumps because I took a bite of naan. Double tuck to close, slid front foot a touch. 9.75
O’Hara (Ark.): She just looks joyous up there. Side aerial bhs, solid. Split to double stag, no wobbles. Cat side aerial 1/1, some hip angle, but great landing. Really strong. 9.925
Johson-Scharpf (UF): Double Arabian, good landing, leg sep. RO 1.5 front lay, leg sep, she was a touch off balance but covered what could’ve been a step with bounce. Switch to shushunova was nice. Double tuck sliiiiightly low chest. 9.85
Shaffer (Ark.): Apparently she had calf cramping last week! Switch slight check straddle quarter. She looks a bit tight. Bhs loso, another slight check. Front aerial, another tiny check! They’re all small, but they could add up. Cat side aerial 1/1, small hop. 9.8
Taylor (UF): Baumann scratched and Taylor is up! Double tuck, great landing. RO 1.5 front lay, could’ve had more amplitude on the lay. Switch side popa, small foot adjustment. Double pike, few big steps back, don’t think she went OOB.
Carter (Ark.): Bhs loso, tries to cover a check. Beat to double stag, great height. Front aerial to sisonne, lovely. Side aerial to 1/1, good landing. 9.825
Reed (UF): DLO, held the lunge a second and then adjusted front foot, not sure if they’ll take .05. FHS front lay rudi, tiny foot slide. Tour jete wolf 1/1. Double pike, again just those tiny foot slides. 9.925
Hambrick (Ark.): Bhs loso loose knees. Switch to switch side. little checks on both. Beat to straddle 3/4, good. Cartwheel gainer 1/1 off the side, stuck. 9.9
Thomas (UF): DLO, huge, tiny hop sidewise into the lunge. FHS front 1/1 front lay jump out, good. Jumps were strong. Double pike, so high! hopped back. 9.875
Johnston (Ark. exh): Side aerial to side somi, little delay in the connection. Cat leap to switch side. RO 1.5, little off balance.
AFTER THREE: Ark. 147.875, UF 148.000
PHEW friends this is a real nailbiter! Arkansas has had some little bobbly moments; the only score that felt high to me was Hambrick’s. Florida is ceding what could be a bigger lead with steppy landings. We’ll see if the Gator’s can clean up landings on beam.
Rotation 4: Arkansas FX, Florida BB
Richards (UF): Bhs loso loso, crunchy feet but steady. Switch to straddle, good. Side aerial, almost missed a foot, back 1/1, lands fine, step to the side. Good recovery! 9.8, she really saved that to bring in a useable score.
Johnston (Ark.): Double tuck, drops the landing in, great. Whip half to 1/1, very nice body position, touch offline. Tour jete popa, fine, not stellar splits. Double pike, low chest. Step forward. 9.875
Johnson-Scharpf (UF): SHe’s so intense on this event. Front tuck, small hop. Bhs loso, little check with some hip bend. Switch half to beat, could use more split. Handstand loso 1/1, stuck. 9.875
Hickey (Ark.): Double pike, big, slides that front foot on her lunge. Switch side Popa, good rotation. RO 1.5 front lay, good landing, touch off line. Double tuck, touch crunched in the kness but lunges out well. 9.8
Folks, this one is staying CLOSE.
Lazzari (UF): Bhs loso loso, no deductions there. Switch to split, she’s so oversplit you can tell from the front of the beam. Front aerial small check. Side aerial 1/1, small hop back. 9.875
Lovett (Ark.): DLO, huge, small hop. Some leg sep in her combo pass, dances right out of the landing. Tour jete half split full, good. Double tuck, great landing. Really good set. 9.925
Skaggs (UF): Wolf turn 1/1, good position. Switch to split is solid. Bhs loso tiniest check. BIG cheers as Lovett’s score comes in. Front aerial, check. Cat switch side is strong, back on track. Side aerial 1/1 stuck. 9.95
Hambrick (Ark.): Double tuck, nice in the air and a good landing. FHS rudi layout to double stag. Love to see the layout to two feet there, different! Jumps were nice. Double pike, little deep in the knees but chooses to hold the stick rather than lunging. Real exclamation point. 9.9
Baumann (UF): Bhs loso, floats it, deduction-free landing. Switch to split is strong. No movement on front aerial. Switch half, couldn’t really see her split position. RO 1.5, needed to step forward tries to cover it with the salute. 9.925
Carter (Ark.): Double tuck, really high, but shuffles her feet forward a bit. Sticks combo pass. Tour jete to split 1/1, good rotation. Double pike, little soft in her knees on the landing. 9.875
Thomas (UF): Switch to split. This is the fall redemption routine after last week’s blip. Bhs one arm loso, touches the beam! Wow. Two major mistakes two weeks in a row. Side aerial 1/1 tiny hop. 9.6. Touching the beam is a .3 deduction.
Pennesse (Ark.): Shaffer was scratched, Pennesse pulled up from the exhibition. BHS rudi straddle to front tuck, nice! Chest forward just a touch into the front. Slides her foot around a bit on the 1.5 front lay. Double tuck, low chest and lunges forward. 9.775
FINAL: Ark. 197.250, UF 197.425
Arkansas hits the coveted 197! It was a great showing from the Razorbacks, who have now proven they can hang with the best team in the nation. They’re gunning for an SEC championship night session, and if they keep this up, they’ll make that meet very interesting. Florida still has some little bobbly things to fix, and Thomas looked about as frustrated as I can remember seeing her. She just must be in her head now. That said, given the Sonners’ and Wolverines’ meltdowns tonight, the Gators are safely going to hold that No. 1 spot another week. Skaggs will be thrilled with that return to the all around.
EVENT WINNERS:
VT: Schoenherr 9.950
UB: Thomas 9.975
BB: Skaggs 9.950
FX: Lovett, Reed 9.925
AA: Skaggs 39.500
Live blog by Emily Minehart
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