Welcome live from the Gold Dome for a tri meet in honor of Sylvia Keiter, a Centenary alumni who lost her life due to a drunk driver. It may be Mardi Gras season, but make sure to drive safe, and never drink and drive! This is a cause very close to the Ladies’ hearts.
The Seawolves had made the trip all the way from Anchorage for a double meet weekend down south. Alaska is coming off its season high last weekend at Brown, continuing to improve with each competition in 2024. The Seawolves have some big-time beam scoring potential so keep an eye out for that event.
Talladega is coming off a strong performance at Auburn. Although some tenths were left on the competition floor with the Tornadoes counting several mistakes on the night, the scoring potential is evident when this young team starts hitting five routines per rotation. Watch out of Kyrstin Johnson’s 10.0 start value vault and some high flying bar releases.
The Ladies are having a slow start to the season, but are coming off a season high on the road. Hopefully last week will build the Ladies’ confidence coming into their first double meet weekend of the season. Keep an eye out for Lacey Wedge’s Arabian double front and a smooth bar routine from Sophie Schmitz.
Ultimately, this meet is going to come back to who wins bars and beam, so keep your eyes peeled for those events.
Follow along the meet at the link: https://virti.us/session?s=T2quWUHUJ3&stream=0
Rotation 1: Centenary VT, Alaska UB, Talladega BB
Foret (Cent): Y layout with good extension with a step forward.
Perkins (UAA): Toe hand, maloney, pak. A little close on the transition. Blind, Giant half to double back with a step back.
Heubach (Talladega): The whole beam cap came off on the series. Gainer pike dismount is stuck.
Schmitz (Cent): Yurchenko layout, great shaping with a step back. More dynamic off the table.
J. Johnson (UAA): Toe hand, Gienger, just missed. Pretty in the air. Overshoot from a tap swing. Giant half, giant half, layout flyaway?
Stratmann (Cent): Yurchenko full on, tuck off. With a step back. Crooked on the table, but managed well.
Peart-Williams (Talladega): BHS LOSO. Sizeable wobble, but saved. Leg up full turn, another wobble. Switch leap, switch half. Not quite fully split. Side aerial. Solid. Double full dismount with a hop back.
Ruano Barahona (UAA): Flung off and nearly did a split. Double tuck is stuck.
Huff (Cent): Yurchenko tuck full. Chest down with a step back.
Johnson (Talladega): BHS LOSO. Solid. A little overcooked on the turn. Side somi to split half. Switch leap to split jump. Pretty beamer. Rudi with a hop back. Lovely set.
Niles (UAA): Blind, piked Jaeger. Nice line. Overshoot is ARCHY. Blind full, double tuck. Knees weren’t ready for the ground with a step back.
Wedge (Cent): FHS front tuck, HUGE with at least 3 running steps.
Chuy (Talladega): Cat leap, switch side 1/4. A little slow on the legs coming down. BHS LOSO. Little lean. Liukin. Punch tuck front full with a pace forward. Another hit. Dega is on a roll.
Walker (UAA): Blind piked Jaeger. Pak. Whippy. Switch kip. Blind full. Toe on front tuck. Whipped off but managed nicely.
Plaza (Cent): Tsuk layout with a step to the side, out of the bounds.
Swaby (Talladega): Wolf turn. BHS LOSO. A couple double taps of the back foot and jumped off. A little under position on the switch half connection. Front toss. QUEEN. Back 1.5 is stuck. Would’ve been a high score without that fall.
Lessig (UAA): Tkatchev. Nice turn over. FTDT with a stuck landing.
Maldonado (Talladega): Cat leap, front toss. Leg up and a lean. BHS LOSO. Switch leap, straddle 1/4. A little tentative. Smooth with the turn. Beat, split 3/4. Gainer full, a baby hop back.
Bryant (Talladega): A back shoulder roll. Cat leap, front aerial… missed the connection. Front aerial to side aerial with a lean. Switch leap, split jump, beat. Split 1/2 from the side. Punch front full. Bent the legs a touch early for landing.
L. Williams (Talladega): Front toss, BHS. Slow on the connection, some movement of the feet on the toss. Switch leap, straddle 3/4. Good shaping. Front full with a medium step forward.
AFTER ONE: Talladega 48.350, Centenary 47.350, Alaska 47.300
Talladega was super impressive on beam in that rotation. Beam is always a hard event to start on, and the Tornadoes hit it out of the park. Alaska avoided counting a fall on the opening event, and Centenary started the meet strong on vault.
Rotation 2: VT, Centenary UB, Alaska BB, Talladega FX
O. Williams (Cent): Clear hip hand, Overshoot. FTDT is in the honey comb ceiling. With a step back.
Bryant (Talladega): OOB on the front through to double pike. Rudi to finish. Solid opening set.
Fairbairn (UAA): Switch half, straddle, beat. BHS by itself? BHS Side aerial and off.
Lessig (UAA): Front aerial, LOSO. A little wobble. Switch leap, back tuck. Chest up. Solid. Beat jump. Front full is LONG and stuck. OK stick glasses. 9.875
Myers (Cent): Blind, Jaeger. Just around. Overshoot, slightly short. Hit the last HS. Blind full to tuck flyaway. I’m ready for the upgrade.
Bonifasi (UAA): BHS LOSO. A little under, but saved it on one leg. Side aerial to split jump. Stuck gainer pike to finish.
Chuy (Talladega): Front double full like she is the tornado. Nice amplitude on the leaps. Front lay, front full. Small studder step.
Lavelle (Cent): Clear hip, overshoot to toe up to high. Double layout is whippy with an early release, just a hop back.
Desouza UAA: Split jump, split 3/4. Not quite 180. SEAWOLVES. Front full is stuck with some leg separation.
Cook (Talladega): Back 1.5, front layout. Putting my pen down for this one. I LOVE. Switch ring, tour jete half. Wolf 1.5. Front lay, front full. Foot slid out from underneath her.
Walker (UAA): Candle stick mount. Cat leap, front aerial, BHS. Kept it moving. Gainer full, A LARGE lean but saved the stick? Chest on the thighs lean.
Schmitz (Cent): Blind, Jaeger. A finger tipper. Over on the cast, casual half turn to overshoot. Blind full, double tuck. Stuck. A FIGHTER.
Flores (Cent): Toe hand, Maloney, overshoot. Some leg form. Right to HS. Double layout with a step back. Easily her best routine on the year.
L. Williams (TC): Supposed to be a front double full. Did a rudi step half, though. Back tuck to meet the back skill requirement. Front lay, front full. Nice line on that pass.
J. Johnson (UAA): Stuck gainer full dismount to finish.
Stratmann (Cent): Piked Jaeger from Eagle grip. Overshoot hand. Good last HS. Blind full, layout flyaway. Stumbled off to the side. I think she’s hurt.
UAA: Hands down on the wolf turn.
K. Johnson (TC): Front through to double tuck. Pulled it around with the chest up. Can you keep up? I can’t. Losing my breath. Switch side half, straddle straddle. Double pike, great height a little bouncy on the landing.
Hildebrand (UAA): Back tuck to back tuck. Very much not connected. Split jump. Beat, split 3/4. Front full, some wild legs with a step forward.
Maldonado (TC): Front lay, Rudi, split jump. In the sky. Easy peasy. Double pike, just pulled it around, chest low. Switch half, wolf full. Great set. One of her best this year.
Peart-Williams (TC): Back 2.5 to front tuck. Kicked out a bit early and had to take the fall. A little off on the leap timing. Front lay, front full. Not quite enough oomph. PERIODT.
Jean-Marie (TC): Back 1.5 to front layout. Nice extension. Double pike, PULL. Just around with a step forward. A full on crump session to a death drop. Yes.
AFTER TWO: Talladega 96.625, Alaska 96.000, Centenary 94.125
Dega continues to dominate, Alaska hit its stride on beam and Centenary had its best bars of the year.
Rotation 3: Talladega VT, UB, Centenary BB, Alaska FX
Molina (Cent) Handstand to flick lay, lovely. Nice jump series, Aerial a little short around, nice dismount. Her confidence has grown so much since her freshman year, you absolutely love to see it.
Perkins (UAA) Everybody dougie on floor today. Double pike, low landing. Back 1/2 to front lay, nice landing, whip 1 1/2 to finish.
Bryant (TC) Yurchenko full, legs a little bit everywhere but the landing was nice.
Cagle (Cent) flick lay, fall. Nice amplitude on the leap series. Cat leap cartwheel, Gainer dismount with a step.
Duffus (TC) HUGE yurchenko full, a little crooked but kept it together on the landing.
Murphy (UAA) Double tuck, nice landing. some questionable rotation on the leap series but landed with confidence. Would love to see her get into this choreography more. Whip half rudi was very nice.
Vidtor (Cent) Hitch kick switch side, nice amplitude. Flick lay very confident landing. Survived the full turn, beat jump to straddle 3/4 and a fall. Pike gainer dismount small step.
Chuy (TC) Great block on the front pike, over-rotated for a few steps. Will be a huge vault once she can control that landing.
Gomez(UAA) Rudi to stag jump. Stag full? Leap pass with nice amplitude. I believe a front full into a front layout to close out a very fun routine.
Peart-Williams (TC) another huge yurchenko full here for Dega.
Murdock (Cent) Gainer back handspring to layout, dropped chest on the landing. Great amplitude on the leap series. Cartwheel with a wobble, small break in her second dance series. Gainer full chest down on the landing.
Hildebrand (UAA) Front full to double tuck, excellent. Double pike, great chest up on the landing. very fun choreography
Johnson (TC) Honestly I keep saying this but like wow the height on that. Best yurchenko full in their lineup yet. A step on the landing but SUCH a nice vault.
Schmitz (Cent) I love getting the full turn out of the way. Flick lay, very confident on the landing. Cat leap aerial, small bobble. Split, straddle, 1/4 nice landing. Great dismount
Butler (TC) Layout, a little pikey, step on the landing.
Desouza (UAA) Opening with a front double twist, good amplitude on her leap series. Back 1 1/2 to front 1/1, I can’t tell if she wanted to tuck that or not, but great power.
Forret (Cent) Flick lay, nice landing, switch side. LADIES. Lots of cartwheels from the ladies today but would love to see a little more confidence in the landings while we’re meeting that front/side requirement. Switch leapt to gainer full, stick!
Williams (TC) Nice layout with a couple steps on the landing.
Fairbairn (UAA) Front lay to rudi, front lay front full, great height, step across on the landing.
Lavelle (Cent) flick lay fall. Switch side with another fall, hoping the ladies can pull it together here. Really nice 1 1/2 dismount from her to finish that routine strong.
Jean-Marie (TC) Nice layout, a couple steps on the landing.
Lessig (UAA) Front lay front full, strong landing, double pike really pulled that one around. Cowboyed the double tuck and over rotated it just a little, a fall to end an otherwise really nice routine.
AFTER THREE: Alaska 144.300, Talladega 143.950, Centenary 141.700
While Centenary had some bright spots, there was some serious landing issues, leading to the team counting two falls. Talladega didn’t quite have its strongest vault rotation on the year, but is hanging with the strong Alaska floor rotation.
Rotation 4: Alaska VT, Talladega UB, BB, Centenary FX
Jean-Marie (TC): Toe hand, Maloney. An interesting back swing. Toe hand to connection to low. Very high double tuck with a step back.
McClung (Cent): Back layout… I’m assuming we’ll upgrade at some point? Switch half, jump full. Back 1.5 front pike. A death drop. Front full. I’m wondering what the sv was for that? 9.500….jk 9.375
UAA: Yurchenko layout, almost a stick but a step back.
Duffus (TC): Piked Jaeger to overshoot. Some knees. Blind full, double tuck with a hop in place.
Desouza (UAA): Yurchenko layout with a medium step back.
K. Johnson (TC): Tkatchev in the rafters. Overshoot from the connection. Double layout. Snaps and claps. Very dynamic bar swinger.
Hildebrand (UAA): FHS front pike. QUADS OF STEEL. A couple steps back to save it.
Chuy (TC): Toe hand, Maloney, overshoot. Right to HS. Great swing. Short on the last HS. Double layout. Significant pike down with a step.
Murdock (Cent): Wolf 1.5. Around. Back 1.5 to front tuck. Good height. Switch half connection. Front full. Pretty low,
Peart-Williams (TC): Ray. Great turn over. Pak right around. Late on the turn. Toe blind full, double tuck. Had the stick but didn’t hold onto it. Step back.
Murphy (UAA): FHS front tuck half. Very unique vault. A step back.
Swaby (TC): Half pirouette. Clear hip to to up to high. Some extra swinging. Back 1.5 dismount with a step forward.
Huff (Cent): Double tuck. Pulled for her life. Chest down. Front layout. Ditched the Rudi this week. Switch side, wolf full to the belly splat. Back 1.5 to front layout. Loved the ending there. All for big Sylly!
O. Williams (Cent): OOB on the double tuck. Back 1.5 to front pike. So much power. Working the room. Great amplitude on the leaps. Round off straddle jump. Loving the support from the Talladega team.
Wedge (Cent): Arabian double front. Just a hop out. Switch side popa. Good height. Front layout, front full. Easily her best…literally ever. 9.750
Plaza (Cent): Ok. A wink. Front half, back 1.5. Unique opening pass. Switch half, pike 1.5. Okay miss girl. That is HARD. Front full. Knock on the door.
Final: Talladega 192.200, Alaska 191.525, Centenary 189.150
Talladega won the meet with a season high aka program record. The Tornadoes slayed the day, ending the night with some sky high release moves. Alaska posted its second-highest total on the year, highlighted by a stellar floor rotation from the Seawolves. Centenary also posted a season high despite some hiccups on beam. The Ladies showed an air of confidence this meet that hopefully with carry on throughout the season.
AA Winner: Kyrstin Johnson (Talladega), 38.950
VT Winner: Kyrstin Johnson (Talladega), 9.650
UB Winner: Kyrstin Johnson (Talladega), 9.825
BB Winner: Claudia Lessig (Alaska), 9.875
FX Winner: Silje Hildebrand (Alaska), 9.825
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