The top-line news about this meet is the coaching overlap between these two teams. SJSU head coach Joanne Bowers is a former Washington head coach, and Washington assistant coach Jeffrey Langenstein coached at SJSU until he was hired for Jen Llewellyn’s staff last summer. It’s a fascinating overlap.
Apart from that, though, this is an intriguing and surprisingly close meet. San Jose State is having its best season in history by a LOT while Washington has done great work this year clawing itself back from last year’s catastrophic finish. One is ascendent while the other is resurgent and both should feel absolutely fabulous about being in position to qualify for regionals this year.
Oh, and they’re only 0.005 apart by NQS. So this should be pretty fun.
Rotation 1: Washington VT, San Jose State UB
Had some stream issues, joining at the end of the rotation here.
Mazury (SJSU): Great pike Jaeger, Pak, finding the handstands, double layout stuck. 9.925
Solomon (SJSU): Toe on to Church, too far and falls flat. Bail, double layout with leg sep and a hop.
After 1: Washington 49.100, San Jose State 48.200
Counted fall there for SJSU after an earlier series of mishaps from Mercedez Sanchez. Washington vault looked about normal from the clips I saw on Twitter. We’ve also got men’s gymnastics going on tonight, so the experience of watching this stream is a little confusing.
Rotation 2: SJSU VT, Washington UB
Killough-Wilhelm (UW): Pike Jaeger to overshoot, blind to half to double back with a little hop forward. 9.9
Mazury (SJSU): Full on pike off, solid with a very little hop. 9.725 is stingy.
Russon (UW): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, not quite the flight of Killough-Wilhelm’s but solid, shy on a handstand on the high bar, substantial break on her full pirouette but survived it, double back stuck. 9.725
Brooks (UW): True shap with some form to clear hip, almost went over, good bail. Blind full double back with a little hop back. 9.8
Thompson (UW): Blind to Jaeger, flat feet, solid bail. Aggressive on the handstands today. Hop back on the double layout. 9.825
We finally got to see the vault, but it didn’t have a gymnast on it unfortunately.
Lopes (SJSU): Here’s one. FTY, very open and pretty, tiny hop back. 9.775
Thomas (UW): Blind to Jaeger, high but a little loose, Pak with substantial leg separation. Double layout solid, little hop forward. 9.85
Bowles (UW): Slightly shy on first handstand, blind full to Deltchev and falls. Double layout, hop and step back. 8.8
Blum in the ex. Toe to Maloney to Pak, bits of form but legs together, shy on a lot of handstands. Blind to double front, step back. Looks thrilled. Since that’s three falls in a row for Bowles, Blum might get another turn next week.
After 2: Washington 98.200, SJSU 97.075
We’re not getting a whole ton of content here. Just barely managing the UW routines between shots of children in the crowd.
Rotation 3: Washington BB, SJSU FX
Brooks (UW): Kickover front BHS, switch to split, front aerial. Super steady. Stag leap to gainer full. Awesome start! 9.925
Navarro (UW): Triple series, minor check. Beat switch side. Double full underrotated, step back. 9.775
Lopes (SJSU): Double pike, pulls the front foot back. Great presence and choreography. Switch side split full, a little imprecise. One and a half front lay solid. Great double tuck. 9.825
Russon (UW): Front aerial to sissone good, working through carefully, BHS LOSO could have been a problem but she kept it in line. Switch to split 3/4, full turn, one and a half twist with a little hop. 9.85
Kelperis (SJSU): One and a half front full really solid, this is the Sweet Dreams routine which is one of my favorites. Tour jete full fully rotated which you don’t see too often in NCAA. Little scoot on the double tuck. 9.875
Davis (UW): Great triple series, I didn’t get the leaps because I was distracted by Lauren Thomas leaning on the pommel horse in the background. Front aerial, leg up, improvised it into a Liukin which was clever. One and a half twist stuck. 9.9
Macpherson (SJSU): Overrotated the double pike but kept it in bounds. One and a half front lay great, tour jete into split drop is AWESOME. Sticks the double back. 9.825
Killough-Wilhelm (UW): Front aerial BHS LOSO perfect. Sharp and snappy. Full turn, kick front to beat, switch to split during which we suddenly cut to a camera below the beam and then back up, side aerial one and a half with a TINY step back. 9.925
Mazury (SJSU): Front lay to Rudi, overrotated. Tour jete half Popa is HUGE and beautiful, a little undercooked on the double pike and takes a small step forward before lunging back.
Thomas (UW): Kickover front BHS a little off but makes it work, full turn, switch straddle quarter, one and a half with a little hop. Good day for the sophomore. 9.825
Orcutt (SJSU): Switch half, double pike with chest a little low, we cut away to watch the beam ex 🙁
Bowles in the ex on beam, very slow connection on her side to side acro series but stays on the beam.
Second ex for Geneva Thompson, simple routine with a layout dismount but she had a great time. Doing fake ten hands for herself.
After 3: Washington 147.625, San Jose State 146.175
Great beam rotation from the Huskies and a solid floor showing from SJSU with some amazing music choices.
Rotation 4: San Jose State BB, Washington FX
Weyhmiller (SJSU): BHS LOSO great, side aerial back full stuck with a slightly low chest. No drama. 9.75
Killough-Wilhelm (UW): Front double full, controlled well. Switch to switch ring half, one and a half front lay. Very solid tumbling there. 9.85
Mazury (SJSU): Hitch kick side aerial, lovely movement quality, BHS LOSO with a little form. Beat to straddle half, almost missed a foot but got it under control very fast. One and a half with a step back. 9.825
Navarro (UW): Great double back, very precise lunge, switch side Popa. One and a half front lay, really has to pull her double pike around but gets it done. 9.85
Lopes (SJSU): BHS BHS LOSO, slightly soft knees and an adjustment. Full turn, hitch kick switch side, side aerial tuck back full with a TINY foot shuffle.
Blum (UW): Front through double back, substantial hop back. Switch half Popa Popa, double pike also a little overrotated. 9.75
MacPherson (SJSU): Switch to split good, BHS BHS LOSO and fights for several seconds before falling, full turn. Gainer LOSO. 9.025
Thompson (UW): Whip to double back, more or less keeps the front foot where it’s supposed to be, switch tour jete full. Double pike definitely a little overrotated. 9.9 is a bit of a senior night score but whatever.
Milne (SJSU): Side aerial LOSO. Split to Korbut, full turn, wolf to sheep. Side aerial back full, great. Good recovery. 9.925
Cunningham (UW): Front through double back is great. Switch half wolf full wolf full. Really solid double pike. She’s been stuck at 9.875 a lot this season, should get a more here especially following a 9.9 and given that it’s her own senior night.
Kirsch (SJSU): Fall to drop here for SJSU. BHS to Onodi, a little off line but works it out. Switch to split quarter. BHS tuck 3/2 dismount stuck. Short and sweet, great finish.
Weiss (UW): 9.85 gives Washington another 197. Stuck the double pike, that won’t hurt the situation at all. One and a half front tuck and sits it, oopsie. Whatever.
Not sure who the SJSU exhibition was since we don’t have commentary. She did have a fall. Kennedi Davis was rostered to anchor floor instead of Weiss but was pulled, she’s up now. Steady routine, usual helicopter legs on the front double full but made all the landings.
FINAL: Washington 196.900, San Jose State 195.400
Great result for Washington that will allow the Huskies to move ahead of SJSU in the NQS standings. At this point, both of these teams are likely safe for regionals and Washington has a good chance to avoid the play-ins.
AA Champ: Jada Mazury (SJSU) 39.325
VT Champ: Geneva Thompson (UW), Madison Kirsch (SJSU) 9.900
UB Champ: Jada Mazury (SJSU) 9.925
BB Champ: Brenna Brooks, Skylar Killough-Wilhelm (UW), Emma Milne (SJSU) 9.925
FX Champ: Amara Cunningham (UW) 9.925
Live Blog by Rebecca Scally
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