Ringing in the last week of college gymnastics for January stands two Pac-12 teams ready to face off in the first home meet of the season for California. Both teams have held an undefeated record, and while this meet may be flying under the radar, it will be one for the Cardinals and Bears to improve on their steady start to the season.
At first, it was safe to say this shouldn’t be a close meet given Cal’s stellar performances in their first two meets. But, mistakes on every event in their last meet against Arizona had them falling short of 197 and making a closer margin than what was expected. Keeping lineups tight with only competing eight gymnasts is worrisome for the Bears as wear and tear to key contributors could impact them nearing the postseason. Nonetheless, one off meet doesn’t predict multiple. This will be the Bears chance to prove their awesome start was not a one-hit-wonder.
The Cardinals are a “slow and steady wins the race” type of team this season. Starting out at the Super 16 they produced a heavy lead, placing within the 49s on vault, bars, and floor. Their home opener against San Jose State showed improvement on beam and floor but the Cardinals couldn’t seem to piece together every event to build on their team score. Like the Bears, the Cardinals worst event is vault. They’ll need to keep focus on clean landings to make up for just two 10.0 valued vaults. We’ll also want to see Stanford start figuring out their lineups to unify the best scores they can get on every event. This coupled with maintaining their consistent all-arounders could give California a run for their money.
Frazier and Maya Green are both seen warming up on California’s Instagram story. Both were empty from lineups last week. It’s now confirmed Frazier will be competing vault, beam, and floor.
Rotation 1: California vault, Stanford bars
Li (C): Very clean Yurchenko full, flexes her feet at the end but has an awesome hip angle. Small hop at the end. They are giving her a bear head which is funny but hopefully not because she “stuck.” 9.825
Dean (S): Perfect first handstand to ray, then toe shoot. Clean Pak salto and pirouette. Hits that last handstand going into a blind full but underestimates the double tuck and takes a large step back. 9.800
Cesario (C): Large leg separation on the table but nice height. Small pike down and another small hop on the landing. 9.825
Brunette (S): Deltchev on her fingertips! Right into a shootover and great handstand going into the first stuck double layout. 9.875
Desouza (C): Huge one and half but has some leg separation throughout, not visible from the judge’s angle. Great distance and a small hop on the landing. 9.825
Neault (S): Good handstand to a strong Maloney Pak connection, just a hair short on her pirouette. Finished with a toe shoot full, short on the handstand. Connects it to double back dismount. Nice comeback for Neault and a stick on the dismount for the cherry on top. 9.9
Lauzon (C): Comes up short on her Yurchenko one and half and is forced to take a step back, out of the lines. 9.750
Alexeeva (S): Unique higgins grip to piked jaegar out of a toe shoot. Such amazing toe point. Clean pak salto and a grabs the third stick of the rotation. 9.95
Frazier (C): Oh my! Yurchenko double full with some big power, and almost gets that stick. Her chest is a little down on the landing but certainly the highlight of the rotation. 9.95
Roberts (S): Beautiful first handstand to pak salto. Does a handstand, toe shoot to maloney half. Ends with a blind full to double tuck and takes just a step on the landing.
Williams (C): Late substitution for Casey Brown, but a great wrap up. Has clean form, legs are glued together. Takes a fairly
Widner (S): Dang, that handstand was immaculate. Tkatchev to a handstand blind full and of course, my stream cuts out. How fun! Widner ends with a good double layout, a bit of leg separation.
After 1: Stanford 49.450, California 49.225
Rotation 2: California bars, Stanford vault
Chrobok (S): Good yurchenko full, has to pike down due to lack of height. She jumps to the side, almost outside of those lines. 9.725
Desouza (C): Great first handstand to blind half, jaegar goes right into a shootover. Dismounts with a full twisting double back, has a bit of feet issues in the air. Small hop backwards on the landing. 9.9
Neault (S): Full onto the table, pike off. Chest is pretty low since her feet are under her she has to take a small hop backwards. 9.8
Cesario (C): Blind to straddled jaegar. Amazing height and a direct connection to a shootover. She is being aggressive on these handstands, I love it. Double layout dismount with a hop backwards. 9.825
Widner (S): Big Yurchenko full, and some gorgeous toe point. Just pikes down a little going into the landing and takes a small hop back. 9.80
Perea (C): Pak salto to a clean handstand, toe shoot, to a maloney half. Little hop on the double layout. Had a fall last week so great comeback routine. 9.85
Nguyen (S): Good yurchenko full. Deep block on the table but has so much height and power. She is capable of a yurchenko double and it is. 9.85
Williams (C): Classic routine: Maloney to Pak, good pirouette but short of handstand. And, a stuck double layout dismount. Flashing tens are everywhere! Comes up short though, gets a 9.95. Very fair.
Brunette (S): Another solid Yurchenko full, would like to see her flare on the landing to limit her hop back. She’s got the 9.75
Li (C): Good handstand to pak salto, handstand to maloney half. Ends with a blind full, just short of handstand to a double back dismount and another STICK! 9.95
Roberts (S): Incredible Yurchenko one and half, legs are glued together and pulls her head forward going into the landing, because of this her chest is vertical to her legs and feet. On a one and a half, you want to have your feet just slightly in front so you can dart right into the mat for a stuck landing. Just has too much power so, takes a hop forward. 9.9
Lauzon (C): Small leg separations on both the maloney to pak salto. Flirts with that last handstand and almost goes over. Shoots out her full twisting double back dismount causing her to take a hop forward with her chest down. 9.8
After 2: California 98.700, Stanford 98.500
Rotation 3: California beam, Stanford floor
Desouza (C): Been waiting for a little bit. Pretty mount on her chin. Cat leap to front aerial. BHS to layout step out, looked like she was off but handles it well. Solid beat jump to sheep jump. Good full turn and sissone jump just right before. Round off to a back 1.5, takes a hop. 9.825
Dean (S): Her leg tattoo is amazing! Double pike with good control of her landing considering she held onto her pike too long. Switch side half, looked a little wonky. Second pass is a clean round off, back 1.5 to a front layout. Grooving to this jazz music. Just a two pass routine, but short and sweet is perfect! 9.825
Williams (C): Double wolf turn, super fast. I blinked and it was over! Front aerial with amazing toe point into her split jump. Series is a BHS to layout step out. Switch leap to a beat jump with a small wobble. Looks a little shaky but is attacking the beam in the best way possible BHS to gainer back full and sticks it. I’m going to say it again, the TOE POINT!! 9.875, a little low in my opinion.
Brunette (S): Last performance of the night for Brunette, front layout to rudim good height but has to pike fown for the landing. Torjete half to a wolf full jump. Pretty dramatic dance. Double back to finish, and that air time was amazing. Is a little uncontrolled on that landing. 9.725
Li (C): Ya’ll I reset my stream cause it was lagging and I missed this whole routine. 9.825
Neault (S): Taking her earrings out, guessing she’s not allowed to have them? Nails her double pike and a beautiful front handspring to Rudi. Switch leap to torjete ring. Round off to a back one and a half to front layout to finish. Her sister, Danna is screaming for her. Me too Danna. 9.825
Frazier (C): Front aerial to layout step out for a unique series. Switch ring to split jump and I wish my eyes could take picture. Cartwheel to a back 1.5, holds onto that stick for a nice routine. 9.875
Nguyen (S): Excited for this routine. Soaring double layout, great hop extension. Switch side to straddle full. Round off, BHS to a back 2.5 right into a front pike. The power she has is unbelievable. I’ve watched her in person and she went double layout for her first pass, front layout to Rudi for her middle pass, and ended with a full-in… Like, what?! 9.875
Lauzon (C): What a risky beam mount. And this beam music is just chef’s kiss. BHS, BHS, to a layout step out for the first triple series. Switch leap to split jump. Oh my!! Round off to a double twist and stuck it cold. I’d like to note her feet were not crossed. 9.95 and well deserved.
Roberts (S): Front layout to Rudi to start off. Huge double back with a controlled lunge. Quick routine but nothing less than spectacular. 9.925
Perea (C): Another wolf double turn. Front toss with a wobble. I like to see the acro I do being represented. Has to repeat it to get her series. Hits her front toss to BHS series. Switch leap to split jump. Side-somi to a tucked 1.5 with a step forward. That scared me, but super cool. 9.725
Widner (S): Final routine of the rotation. Double layout and has to pike down a little, takes a step forward. Front through to double pike, such a hard pass. Has her chest down and bounds out of the landing. Switch leap to switch half to straddle full. Doesn’t get control on either of her landings which will be a large deduction. 9.7
After 3: California 148.125, Stanford 147.650
A large lead going into this last rotation. The Cardinals are going to need some mistakes by Cal to catch up.
Rotation 4: California floor, Stanford beam
Dean (S): Good full turn. Side aerial to BHS. Switch side to beat jump. Round off back 1.5 and sticks it. Some nice difficulty in this routine. Perfect leadoff for the Cardinals. 9.9
Perea (C): Round off double tuck, not a common pass but her. Round off double pike with a bit of flexed feet at the end of the pike. Double wold turn just like her one on beam. Switch half to wolf full. Super awkward landing on her last pass: Round off, back 1.5 to front layout. Looked like she could’ve hyperextended her knee. 9.625
Onyshko (S): Front aerial to BHS BHS. Switch ring to beat jump, a little off with her hips but fixes it going into the jump. Ends with a gainer pike and almost gets the stick but takes a small step back. 9.8
Desouza (C): Rudi to a double stag jump with some major height and power. Double tuck for her second pass. Round off back 1.5 to front full, pretty legs and toes. 9.775
Alexeeva (S): Beautiful press handstand mount. Messes up on her double wolf turn and I don’t know how she saved it. BHS to layout step out, small wobble. Switch half to beat jump. Dismounts with a gainer front full and sticks it. Good finish to an off start.
Williams (C): Front layout to rudi to open the routine. A little overturned on her double wolf turn. Switch half to split jump, and my stream cuts out. 9.85
Neault (S): Missed most of this routine. But got to see a solid round off back 1.5 with a small step. The announcers are saying this is not the routine she wanted to finish on, so I’m guessing she had a mistake. 9.325
Li (C): Front handspring to a front double full right into a stag jump. Great height. This dance is amazing. Gets her backwards qualification from a round off back layout step out. Last pass is a front handspring to a front full, front layout. What an amazing routine. Best artistry award goes to… 9.925
Roberts (S): This will be an important routine to get the Cardinals back on track. Dang, wolf turns are getting more attention than elite competitions. Switch half, small wobble. BHS to a layout step out and another wobble. Beautiful side aerial to get back on track. Round off back 1.5 with a large step on the landing. 9.7
Lauzon (C): Front handspring, front double full to a front tuck. Switch side to a straddle full. Round off back 1.5 to a front full. Super clean routine, and the Bears are just getting better and better throughout this rotation. 9.925
Widner (S): Switch leap to split jump. Looks comfortable. BHS layout step out and just completely off, takes a fall. Front aerial to split jump. BHS gainer back full and such an unfortunate routine considering the rest was amazing. 9.325
Frazier (C): Last routine of the meet and no one better to close it out. Massive double layout. Just… speechless. Front through to double tuck to close it out, nice control on the landing. Great routine and gets a 9.925
FINAL: California 197.525, Stanford 196.075
The Bears remain undefeated in a season-high team score that was nothing short of excellent. It’s safe to say that this was not a close meet, the Cardinals deteriorated on beam with two falls and wobbles that exasperated the rotation and let the Bears maintain their lead since rotation two.
VT: eMjae Frazier, 9.950
UB: Andi Li, Madelyn Williams, 9.950
BB: Mya Lauzon, 9.950
FX: Andi Li, Mya Lauzon, Anna Roberts, eMjae Frazier, 9.925
AA: Andi Li, 39.525
READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Comparing Yurchenko Fulls Across the Country
Live blog by Sydney Seabrooks
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Did Casey Brown get injured in warm up? I think the announcer mentioned in passing that Maddie Williams ended up going on vault due to an injury. Also, Kyla Bryant is pretty good at commentating. I’m enjoying her.