I’m back with another MIC matchup! This competition is really anyone’s game.
The race to the top of the MIC is often neck and neck between these two squads and Texas Woman’s. Over the past two seasons, Illinois State has been a top contender throughout the regular season but has fallen just short at the conference championships.
The Red Birds look to turn things around in 2023. While this is a relatively young roster, there is talent for days. Not only does the team have two former NCAA national qualifiers in Angelica Labat and Jaye Mack, but the roster also features more heavy hitters in Alana Laster, Madison Kipp and Nirel Bart-Williams. In its season opener, the Red Birds had some beam woes and a few steps out of bounds on floor. However, the it still managed to post a respectable 192.825. That speaks to the depth and potential of this team. Collegiate debuts were seen from sophomores Julia Heiner and Sara Wabi, as well as freshmen Nirel Bart-Williams, Leah Davis, and Joy Ziegenfelder. Mackenzie Flutman also showed exhibition routines on beam and floor, a testament to the team’s depth this year.
Lindenwood opened 2023 with its highest season-opening score in program history with a 193.125. The Lions followed that performance up with its home opener on Sunday, posting a respectable 193.200. While Lindenwood showed some inconsistency across the two meets, their potential was evident as well. Jaly Jones really impressed in her freshman debut, competing seven times across the two competitions and taking home the all around title at the Lions’ home opener. Gayla Griswold will continue to shine in her senior season, posting three scores of 9.85 or higher opening weekend. Other athletes to watch out for are the duo of Hannahs, Moon and Appleget, as well as Nya Kraus. Kraus is a beautiful beam worker and is bound to make a name for herself this season. It should also be noted that while Savannah Newsome has made her return to competition after her knee surgery last season, she had some trouble with her dismount last weekend, making her participation this weekend questionable.
Bars and Beam will be the events to keep an eye on this weekend. Both teams have the potential to do well, but have demonstrated some shakiness thus far. It’s beneficial that both teams were able to have athletes perform exhibition routines last weekend to help solidify who is most ready for lineups heading into week two.
Rotation 1: Illinois State VT, Lindenwood UB
Kaylee Sugimoto, “recently retired” ISU gymnast, is on the call tonight. Exciting!
Coach Bob Conkling’s dream job is to coach Red Bird gymnastics. The sweetest.
The teams are doing their four minute touch. We are hearing the commentators discuss what Sugimoto’s “butter” was as an athletes. We meant bread and butter, but I did get a laugh.
Heard (ISU): A yurchenko full. She looked hung up in the air. Landed right on her knees with a slight smile. 9.075
Someone is on bars. We are looking at Donovan, though.
Daniels (LU): Blind full, double tuck. Very cowboyed. Very stuck. 9.725
Donovan (ISU): Yurchenko full. Nice and flared out with a step back. 9.675
Newsome (LU): Blind, piked Jaeger to overshoot. Good connection. Slightly short on the last handstand. Pretty far out on the double front dismount. Step back with her chest down. Good hit after missing in the last two meets. 9.675
Laster did a Yurchenko full, today. Apparently had a step back, but we didn’t get to see it.
J. Jones (LU): Ray to overshoot. Stunning turn over on the release. Double layout. Piked at the end so had to hop back. 9.800
Mack (ISU): Stuck Yurchenko full. A slight pike in the hips in the air. 9.800
Cooper (LU): Blind, Piked Jaeger to overshoot. Some foot form. Good last handstand. Double layout, good legs in the air. Medium hop back. 9.800
Bart-Willaims (ISU): Yurchenko 1.5. Good 10.0 start value there. A medium hop forward. 9.825
Moon (LU): Maloney to overshoot Some legs apart. Double layout was so nice! Stuck. 9.875
Labat (ISU): Very strong Yurchenko 1.5 with a small step forward. Good control and shape in the air. 9.825…
Appleget (LU): Clear hip hand, Gienger, overshoot connection. Good last handstand. STUCK double layout with perfect shape, legs glued together. HELLO. 9.850
Oh (ISU): Yurchenko layout. Good shape in the air. Somewhat off line to the left.
Kraus (LU): Ray to overshoot. Had to hit her feet on the floor out of the shoot. Caught with too extended shoulders, so she couldn’t get her feet under her. Blind full, double tuck. Stuck.
Decroo (ISU): Kind of pikey Yurchenko layout with a hop back.
AFTER ONE: Lindenwood 49.050, Illinois State 48.900
Lindenwood did the dang thing by sticking so many dismounts that rotation! Illinois State avoided counting a fall on vault, so that’s a positive. The Redbirds will need to hit some bar routines to stay in this meet.
Rotation 2: Lindenwood VT, Illinois State UB
Caffey (LU): A bit high on with the pre flight but good landing on the full. 9.725
Robinson (ISU): Toe hand, Maloney. Nice line. Overshoot, toe hand. Too early on the foot release and came down. Toe on front pike half was not in the video frame. 8.400
Lopez (LU): Yurchenko full. Piked down, not great amplitude with a hop back. 9.675
“I’m sorry to correct you but this is actually Sara Wabi.”
Wabi (ISU): Casted over. This is devastating. Take two. Blind, piked Jaeger. Lovely. Overshoot. Blind full, double tuck. Small step back. A great mulligan, too back there was the fall at the beginning. 9.225
Daniels (LU): Yurchenko full with a medium hop back. Better form on that one in the air. 9.650
Kipp (ISU): Blind, Jaeger. Good extension and turnover. Overshoot hand. Blind full, VERY late. Double tuck. Stuck. 9.700
J. Jones (LU): Yurchenko full with just a hop. Not great amplitude with a bit of pike down. 9.500
Heiner (ISU): Toe hand, Maloney. Some leg separation on the back swing. Toe hand, overshoot. Double layout, STUCK LIKE GLUE. 9.850
Berkley (LU): VERY low Yurchenko full. I couldn’t tell if her hands scraped the ground. Step forward. 9.375
Bart-Williams (ISU): Blind, Jaeger. A teensy bit closer. Overshoot, slight leg separation. Blind, front giant, double tuck. Landed with straight knees. Scared herself a bit and had to put her hands down. The Red Birds will have to count two falls. 9.100
Griswold (LU): Dynamic Yurchenko 1.5. Just a pace forward. Good amplitude and shape in the air. 9.750
Labat (ISU): Toe hand, Ray, overshoot. HUGE. Her usual. FTDT dismount. Good chest up but a hop back. Way to anchor. 9.825
Kraus (LU): Solid Yurchenko full.
Hawksworth (ISU): Clear hip, Gienger, overshoot. Muscling up these handstands. Double layout with soft knees. Stuck.
AFTER TWO: Lindenwood 97.350, Illinois State 96.600
Well. That was not a great event from Lindenwood, but Illinois State’s three falls make this meet a bit out of reach. Let’s see if the Red Bird’s can bounce back on beam.
Rotation 3: Illinois State BB, Lindenwood FX
Spot the brown, and bend your legs to save the wobbles. Solid advice.
Davis (ISU): BHS LOSO. Just and arm wave and a lean. Front toss to split jump. Want a little more kick on the toss. Beat to split 3/4. Good. Cartwheel 1.5 with a step forward. 9.675
Appleget (LU): A little heel pop pop. Front full, front lay. Solid. Dive roll. Tour jete full. Good and around. Elbow cartwheel. Tour jete half, popa. A little stiff-hipped on the straddle position. Double pike. Good finish. She performs that routine more and more each time I’ve seen it this season. 9.650
Flutman (ISU): This will be her first time in the lineup, I believe. BHS LOSO. Solid. Switch side. Good. Cat leap, side aerial. The feet… beat to split 3/4. Gainer pike with a step forward. Good set. Starting with two freshmen worked out well for the Red Birds. 9.575
Caffey (LU): Double pike. Chest up with a slide back. Switch side, popa. Front lay, Rudi. A couple stutter steps back to try to control. Double tuck. Chest down but just pulls it around. 9.450
Ziegenfelder (ISU): Front toss to scale. Lovely. Steady. Beat, split 3/4. Good extension. Gainer full. Stuck-ish. Maybe a baby bounce? 9.650
Cooper (LU): Double pike. Good landing there. Another good performer. Wolf 1.5 for that D dance. Front lay, front full. A little pikey into the front full so bounced a little wild out of it. Double tuck. Good finish. 9.575
Bart-Williams (ISU): BHS LOSO LOSO. Just a lean. Strong leap series. Gainer full with a hop back. Legs a bit wide on the landing, in my opinion. 9.725
Lopez (LU): Double tuck. A bit squatty on the landing with a large lunge back. Leap not quite rotated enough. Front full, front pike. Long but good. Pump it up. Back 1.5, front layout. Best landing of the routine. 9.750
Kipp (ISU): BHS BHS LOSO. A little off but manages with a baby wobble. Switch leap, switch half. I would not have the courage to be on a beam right now with a beam bite like that. Go off. RO back 1.5 dismount with a small step forward. 9.750
J. Jones (LU): Double pike. Opened up at the perfect time. Nice. Front full front lay. Front lay a little lower in amplitude than the full. Switch leap, tour jete full. Nearly around. A baby scooch on the floor. Back 1.5, front lay. Good routine for the fab freshman. 9.750
Labat (ISU): Front aerial. Small twitch. BHS LOSO. Wild arm wave, and she’s off. Switch leap, switch half. Good position in the air. BHS 1.5, stuck. 9.275
Griswold (LU): Will the real GG please stand up? Double pike. Absolutely ginormous. A slide back. Front full, front lay. A little slide back. Switch half, popa. Double tuck. Landed a bit straight-legged with a bounce out. 9.675
Unsure if we will actually get to see Allie Berkley in floor exhibition? Yeah, we’ve gone to commercial break 🙁
I’m sorry I think Jaye Mack is on beam. BHS LOSO. Small check. BHS back 1.5 dismount with a hop. The camera was showing the arena as if nothing was happening?
AFTER THREE: Lindenwood 145.750, Illinois State 144.975
Scoring and routines were a bit tight all around that rotation. A beam meltdown would be necessary for ISU to get back in this match.
Rotation 4: Lindenwood BB, Illinois State FX
Griswold (LU): BHS LOSO. Solid. Hitch kick, Switch half, beat jump. RO back 1.5 dismount. Stuck. Strong lead off routine. The ball is rolling. 9.800
Wabi (ISU): Front double full. Very good. Feet together and controlled. Switch leap, split full, wolf full. Rudi LOSO. Coach camera interference! 9.800
Moon (LU): BHS LOSO. Had to bring the front foot up. Switch leap, split 3/4. Under on the back leg position. Front aerial to beat. Missed her back foot and slipped down the side. Gainer full, forward chest lean but held the dismount. 9.05
Laster (ISU): Front double full. Long, but good. Having fun out there! Love this music mix. Looked right into the camera. Rudi LOSO. Good height and control. 9.775
Daniels (LU): BHS LOSO. Small lean. Switch leap, ring jump. Not enough head release. Front aerial, beat jump. Smooth. Long pause before the cartwheel gainer full. Stuck. 9.725
Donovan (ISU): Double tuck. Chest up. Switch side, wolf full. A little under on the straddle position. Front lay, Rudi. A bun flip. Wolf 1.5 to get that second D requirement. 9.850
Kraus (LU): BHS LOSO. A small smile. As she should. Cat leap, switch half. A lean and leg up. Beat jump. RO back 1.5 with a hop forward. 9.650
Labat (ISU): Front double full. Tour jete half, split full. Gigantic height. Back 1.5, front lay. Another strong pass. We’re talking about chicken sandwiches. Rudi. Chest forward a tad.
Appleget (LU): Switch, switch, pike jump. A little under on all positions. BHS LOSO. A slight lean, pulled it off well. Side aerial. Right on. RO back 1.5 dismount. Up on the toes and back down for the stick. 9.850
Bart-Williams (ISU): Rudi LOSO. Loving this dance. Tour jete half, split full. Back hip a bit open. Cat full to belly flop. Double tuck. Electric landing there. Saving the best pass for last. 9.85
J Jones (LU): Side Aerial LOSO. A hip bending wobble. Switch leap, straddle jump. A little nervy looking. RO back 1.5. Held onto it. 9.650
Mack (ISU): Piked full in. Slid the front foot back a bit. HUGE leaps. Tuck full to back roll. I-S-U! Front through to double pike. Nearly stuck with a small step back. 9.875
Rush (LU): BHS LOSO. Couldn’t quite hold on. Switch leap, split 3/4. A little under on the back leg position. Gainer full. Rushed the kick a bit.
Front double full on floor. I think this is Flutman. Camera is zoomed out. Switch side popa. LOSO to get the back flip requirement. Looked like it was supposed to be a front lay to Rudi, but the timing of the punch was mistimed, so it turned out to be a front lay to full sat down.
An abrupt commercial to finish the meet out.
Back 1.5 front tuck. A little mistimed. Ziegenfelder is doing an exhibition as well, apparently. Double pike. Landed with one foot in front of the other, but controlled fine. Apparently she went OOB during the commercial break.
Final: Lindenwood 194.425, Illinois State 194.125
In general, that last rotation was a bit loosely scored in my opinion. However, the results are fine with me. The fact that the Red Birds just got a 194-plus counting two falls… just amazing. Lindenwood continues to step up its game meet by meet. Post season is going to go CRAZY.
As an aside. I’m loving that both teams stepped up the floor dance and performance quality this year! So entertaining!
AA Winner: Jaly Jones (LU), 38.700
VT Winner: Nirel Bart-Williams (ISU) & Angelica Labat (ISU), 9.825
UB Winner: Hannah Moon (LU), 9.875
BB Winner: Hannah Appleget (LU), 9.850
FX Winner: Jaye Mack (ISU), 9.875
READ THIS NEXT: Leotard Rankings: Week 1
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