Hello from Stegeman Coliseum! It feels like the 2022 season has been a long time coming, but First Look means we’re finally in the home stretch.
Georgia’s coming off a difficult season to say the least. Injuries and COVID took their toll on the Gymdogs’ roster, and the team finished a program low 18th after failing to advance from round two of regionals.
They’ll be looking for redemption in 2022, and if preseason training clips are any indication, the team doesn’t plan on holding anything back; it has at least a lineup’s worth of 10.0 start value vaults, including an upgraded Yurchenko one and a half from both Rachel Baumann and Haley De Jong, a variety of unique (and difficult) acro and dance skills on beam and numerous impressive E-level passes on floor.
Also keep an eye out for fan favorite Alysssa Perez-Lugones: The senior is known for her contributions on beam and floor but has been training the all around.
The preview will be streamed on SECN+, but if you’re unable to watch, I’ll have all the details for you right here.
Here we go!
And right of the bat, here’s confirmation that Victoria Nguyen IS using a knee scooter and in a high boot.
Interesting, a Y 1.5 in warmups from Lukacs instead of her usual double. Also, looks like there’re no Red/Black teams this time.
Rotation 1: Vault
De Jong: Clean Y full in the air with a hop in place. Not a ton of distance or amplitude. 9.700.
Cashman: Really pretty Y full in the air, definitive stick. Gets great height, but not much distance. 9.800.
Baumann: Excuse me for a moment while the fact that Baumann’s a senior hits me like a ton of bricks. GORGEOUS Y 1.5 with a slight leg sep during pre-flight and a large step forward. That was really pretty in the air, great amplitude and distance. 9.800.
Magee: Doesn’t get a strong block and sits her Y 1.5, too bad. 9.275.
Ward: Clean Tsuk full with a slight pike down and tiny hop. Good height, but not much distance. 9.85.
Lukacs: BIG air on her Y 1.5, but a little messy in the air and crunched on the landing, has to take a hop back. Again, great height, but not much distance. 9.725.
Roberts: Solid Y 1.5 with a small forward hop. Not as big as Baumann’s. 9.825.
Bryant: Yay! Wasn’t sure she’d be vaulting. MASSIVE Y full, very clean in the air. Too much power and has to take a big bounce back. 9.725.
Scoring was surprisingly tight with an event total 48.950 (which I’m completely fine with). A recurring issue throughout much of the lineup is gymnasts blocking up but not out, and the scores reflect that. Baumann’s and Bryant’s were the highlights of the rotation precisely because once they find the landings, those vaults are going to score really well.
Rotation 2: Bars
Finnegan: Lovely Ray to open, really nice height and technique. Loses her form on her Pak, but doesn’t stop her rhythm. Manages to get good height on her FTDT despite missing her release point, but lands in a DEEP lunge and has to take a small step. 9.850 is high for me.
Cashman: Not a ton of height on her Tkatchev, but beautiful rotation. Overcooks a handstand on HB, but saves it. Good tension in her bail. Hecht toe shoot and a stuck DLO. Very nice routine. 9.700 seems low, especially next to Finnegan’s score.
Schild: Toe on handstand, Ray, great! Solid form on the bail. Pretty handstand positions throughout. Not a ton of height on the DLO and has a large bound forward. 9.650.
De Jong: Toe on handstand to Ray, well done. Shy on handstand. Good bail. Nice position on the final handstand and a fabulous nearly stuck DLO. Best routine so far. 9.850 is pretty legit.
Roberts: Handstand stepouts on LB are a hair late. Bail is fine. Good position on her DLO (I really like how she flare out her arms on the second salto), and a stick! 9.825.
Baumann: Nice first handstand. Blind change to a BIG straddled Jaeger, maybe caught a little close? My angle’s not great. Short on the next handstand and a little late on the final pirouette, but a beautiful stuck double tuck. 9.775.
Hattaway: Muscles up the first KCH. Slight leg sep on her Gienger and bail, but fighting through. Pings off on the DLO; loses shape in the air and has to take a big stumble forward. 9.700 is a bit high for me.
Milbrandt: First freshman performance. Blind change to straddled Jaeger, some feet but good height. Solid bail. High DLO with some form in the air and a small hop back.
Ward: Clear hip shaposh, very nice. Bail is fine. A little wonky on her final handstand, but a lovely DLO with a small step back. Short and sweet! Very clean routine overall. 9.800. Wondering if the routine maybe isn’t UTL because that one should be in the lineup.
I’ve definitely got some questions about overall routine construction, particularly dismounts. The major releases are looking really nice, but they’re still giving away too much in the details (especially handstands and transitions). 49.050 event total.
Rotation 3: Beam
Magee: Straight jump to straddle half, very precise. Bhs bhs loso, excellent. Kicks out her full turn and smiles. RO 1.5 with a large bound forward. Good routine to kick things off.
Still waiting on Magee’s score… Judges are discussing at the beam. 9.750; interesting, wonder if that straight jump was supposed to be something else.
Finnegan: Solid bhs loso, soft knees on the former. Side aerial to wolf jump was pretty but a little slow, might not get the connection. Cat leap to straddle quarter, great position. Small check on her full turn. Stuckish RO 1.5, great! 9.775.
Hawthorne: Bhs and a floaty loso, slight check. Switch full series, nice. Hawthorne to wolf jump. Again, probably won’t get the connection. Moon walk gets a cheer from the crowd 🙂 Gorgeous RO 1.5, stuck.
De Jong: Kicked out full turn, well done. Switch leap to split jump. Front aerial to straddle with a check; a bit slow, but should get the connection. Bhs loso, rock solid. Side aerial to stuck full, excellent.
Apparently, they’ve stopped announcing the scores?
Baumann: Love the straddle mount. Side aerial loso, great. High kick. Switch kick half turn to full turn initiated from the ankle, very cool. Cat leap to switch side, nice position. RO 1.5, drilled the landing. Excellent routine. OK, they made sure to announce Baumann’s 9.900!
Bryant: Nice full turn. Bhs loso and she comes off. Switch leap and she nearly splits the beam, ouch. Straddle quarter, beautiful. Ugh, comes off a third time after a cat leap. Side aerial to full with a hop, really pretty. Gets a hug and smile from CKC.
Schild: Love her straddle press handstand mount, just stunning. Front aerial with a hip check to bhs bhs with another small check. Switch leap to split jump, good. No dismount, literally just walked off the beam.
Not sure where they’re getting 49.075 from for this rotation since we’re missing half the scores. Baumann’s routine was fantastic, the clear highlight of the rotation. These routines are very connection heavy, and a lot of them simply weren’t there today. I do love seeing a variety of skills, though, and they certainly delivered in that respect. Too bad about Bryant, because she’s got some of the best leaps in the game (which are currently on full display during floor warmups); hope to see her nail it during season, because this has the potential to be a standout routine.
Rotation 4: Floor
Magee: Devil Went Down to Georgia remix, what?! Opens with just a back lay. Switch half to Popa, nice amplitude. Back 1.5 to front lay, well done. Was that an homage to Moceanu’s tantrum choreography? I’m going to say yes. Misses her double pike and puts both hands down. 9.300.
De Jong: FLASHDANCE, I AM INTO THIS. Triple full (well, 2.75) to open, not super controlled on the landing. Popa to wolf full, good. And now Footloose?! Back 1.5 to front lay, a bit flat but pulls it out. Her dance is fantastic. Very under on the double tuck but manages to keep her hands up. I don’t care. It’s pure 80s nonsense and I love it. 9.625.
Roberts: Piked full in to open, very well done. Switch side to Popa, good amplitude. Front tuck through to double tuck, chest down but a good landing. Short and sweet! 9.850.
Baumann: Back 1.5 to full, perfect. She’s doing a great job of selling the choreo. Switch side to straddle, again perfect. Nails the double pike to close. She’s looked sharp all day, and this was a perfect finish for her. 9.925 is correct.
Bryant: Opens with maybe the biggest double pike I’ve seen in my life, perfect control on the landing. Switch ring to switch half, excellent. Popa to wolf full, maybe a hair low on the latter? Front tuck through to double tuck, underrotated and chest down but keeps her hands up.
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