There’s nothing like SEC gymnastics on a Friday. Welcome to the latest rendition. Kentucky enters tonight’s matchup following its sixth consecutive 197-plus score. Raena Worley’s 10.0 streak continues in her gymnastics farewell tour, earning her latest on bars at home last weekend. The Wildcats seem to have the perfect combination of returning leadership and underclassmen ready to step up to the plate in 2024. Delaney Rodriguez continues to lead off on every event like a true veteran, and the slew of 10.0 start value vaults is finally paying off. This just might be Kentucky’s year to contend for some titles.
Arkansas is coming off a Texas double meet weekend which culminated in its first February 197. Realistically, the competitiveness of this meet will largely depend on how the bar lineup performs. While the Razorbacks have had some struggles on bars of late, the last two competitions should give the bar squad some much deserved confidence as they move through mid season. Watch for some high-flying routines from Frankie Price and Lauren Williams.
Let’s get this show on the road.
Rotation 1: Arkansas VT, Kentucky UB
Weaver (Ark): Yurchenko full, absolutely HUGE and also stuck. What a way to start a meet! Not really much to take for deductions in my opinion. 9.925
Davis (UK): Blind, Jaeger. Great toe point. Double layout with a step forward. Largest deduction was the step. 9.800
Smith (Ark): Yurchenko full, another huge one that is drilled. Pardon me. 9.900
Rizo (UK): Blind, Jaeger. So floaty. Yes. Overshoot. A little loose. Double layout with some foot adjustments due to a pike down. 9.825
Price (Ark): Yurchenko full, with a medium hop back. Great pop off the table. 9.825
Rodriguez (UK): Tkatchev. Clear hip hand, overshoot. A little off on the transition. Great last HS. Double layout, stuck as expected. 9.875
Essenpries (Ark): Yurchenko one and a half, overcooked with a DEEP knee bend and a cross over step forward. 9.775
Procasky (UK): Maloney, pak salto. Great lines. Turn on low, right in handstand. She is ON. Double layout, stuck. Great set from her! 9.850
Klein (Ark): Yurchenko full and a half, step back. So a little under rotation there, so she’ll get an amplitude deduction there. 9.825
Bunn (UK): Blind, Jaeger. A little short on the HS before the overshoot. Double layout is DRILLED. Some HS issues there, so we’ll see the score. 9.900
Williams (Ark): Yurchenko full and a half, great shaping in the air. Great block. Just a baby hop forward. 9.925
Worley (UK): Clear hip, Tkatchev. Great HS. My word. Pak salto. Quick on the turn on low. FTDT. Deep on the landing. Was going for the stick. A step forward. 9.825
AFTER ONE: Arkansas 49.400, Kentucky 49.275
Arkansas started the competition with some lights out vaults, getting the momentum going for a strong home score. Kentucky left a couple tenths on bars, but the rotation was highlighted by a great dismount from Bailey Bunn.
Rotation 2: Kentucky VT, Arkansas UB
Rodriguez (UK): Yurchenko full, rushed off the table with a pike down. Just a hop. 9.750
Swaney (Ark): Toe hand, Ray. Great turn over. Pak. Late on the turn on low. Short last HS. Double layout with a baby scoot. Some leg separation in the air. 9.850
Rizo (UK): Yurchenko full, better power there, so she didn’t have to pike down quite as much as she did. A hop back. 9.800
Pratt (Ark): Ray, a touch close. Good HS to the overshoot straight back to high with a toe up. Double layout, a hop back. 9.825
Patterson (UK): FHS front pike half, just a hop back. Great extension off the table. 9.800
Drotar (Ark): Toe hand, Maloney, overshoot. Right to HS. Pretty lines. Great toe point. Yes. Double layout, legs glued together. A step back. Really didn’t see a deduction before the dismount. 9.825
Magnelli (UK): FHS front pike half. Better on the block. Another hop back. 9.850
Scalzo (Ark): Blind, Jaeger to overshoot. A little close on her release so lost some foot form. Handstands on point. NAILED IT. Stuck double layout. 9.900
Worley (UK): Short on the Yurchenko one and a half today. Pretty deep on the landing with a couple steps back. 9.700
Park (Ark): Toe hand, Ray. Held on by pure willpower. Elastigirl, is that you? Pak salto is a touch whippy. Short last HS. Double layout. Another H-I-T. 9.850
Wilson (UK): FHS front pike half. Textbook, technique off the table. Chest a touch forward, but stuck. 9.875
Jones (Ark): Blind, piked Jaeger. Lovely. Pak salto just floated to the low bar. Double layout. That score should be ginormous. Handstands on point. Feet never separated. Yes ma’am. 9.950. PERIOD.
AFTER TWO: Arkansas 98.775, Kentucky 98.350
Who would’ve thought that Arkansas would look like the better team tonight through two events? Honestly, not me. But the Razorbacks are fighting for the stuck landings and shooting for every tenth they can muster. Kentucky looks like its competing not to lose tonight, trying a little too hard for landings.
Rotation 3: Arkansas BB, Kentucky FX
Gamiao (Ark): LOSO LOSO. She makes it look so easy. Unbelievable. Side somi. Low on the chest there. A soft smile. Switch leap, split jump. Back 1.5 to finish. Looked like she could’ve stuck it, just a baby hop forward. 9.800
Rodriguez (UK): Front double full. No leg crossing here. Switch ring, tour jete half. Kind of low in my opinion. Double tuck. Bounded backward. Just kept it in bounds. Back 1.5, front half to jump. Strong finish. 9.775
Jones (Ark): Front aerial, BHS BHS. A large lean to the side. She was crooked from the start. Way to fight for that series. Deep breaths. Split, double stag ring. Another lean with a leg up. Front full dismount is stuck. 9.675
Wilson (UK): Back 1.5 to front layout. A little too much power with some loss of control. Switch side, wolf one and a half. Not quite a wolf shape. Front through to double tuck. Short with a step forward. 9.800
Swaney (Ark): Candle stick mount to open. Cat leap, front aerial. Sharp. BHS LOSO. On the money. She’s in it to win it. Switch leap, split jump. Great position in the air. Such a beam queen. BHS 1.5 dismount just a slide back.
Magnelli (UK): Rudi LOSO. Good control of the landing there. Switch side popa. Hello amplitude. Double pike, kind of whippy. Larger lunge. 9.900
Weaver (Ark): BHS LOSO. Killed it. Straddle jump, pause, double stag ring to beat. Made sure to get the jump requirement. Side aerial. Around the side, but managed like a pro. Held onto that stuck dismount like her life depended on it.
Davis (UK): Double pike, a touch over and rocked on her heels. Switch side, popa. Cheated on the rotation a touch, I think? Back 1.5, front layout. Stellar. Double tuck. Chest nice and high. Great control. Rock on. 9.900
Klein (Ark): Side aerial LOSO. Lifted the front leg on the lunge. Switch leap, straddle jump. Great shaping. RO back 1.5 with a considerable hop forward. 9.725
Brose (UK): Double pike. Stunning. Really getting after this performance. Tour jete half, wolf full. Front full, front layout. Perfect layout shape. Front double full to finish. So hard. Great set from her. 9.950
Linton (Ark): Double wolf turn. No problems this week. BHS BHS LOSO. Another leg up on the lunge. Switch leap, split jump. Right to 180. RO back 1.5 with a hop forward. 9.775
Worley (UK): FTDT. Back in business. Switch ring, switch side. Sharp. Front full, front layout. It was stuck. Annie are you okay? A tongue out to play it up for the crowd. Double tuck. Is it a 10.0? Curious. 9.975. boo
AFTER THREE: Kentucky 147.875, Arkansas 147.725
Well… the floor scoring got a bit aggressive there in my opinion. Nevertheless, the Wildcats left it all out on the floor. The back half of the lineup was lights out, capped off by another near-perfect routine from Worley. Arkansas just looked like it was competing tight on beam. There were several larger, uncharacteristic wobbles throughout that lineup. While the Razorbacks were obviously fighting for every routine, a sub-49 on beam couldn’t quite keep them in the lead. On to the final rotation. It’s still a close one!
Rotation 4: Kentucky BB, Arkansas FX
Rodriguez (UK): Switch leap, split jump. Didn’t look 180 from this angle. BHS BHS LOSO. Small correction. We love a Tarzan beam song. Side somi. Right on. A smile. Back 1.5 is stuck.
Gamiao (Ark): Double pike. A little slide on the lunge. Back 1.5 step through to a double twist. Stuck. Right around on her leap series. Clap it out. Double tuck to finish. Chest down with an awkward lunge to the side.
Brose (UK): Front tuck. Right on. Front toss, BHS. Kept it moving. Switch leap, beat. Back on her heels a touch. The Little Mermaid now… is it Disney night? Back 1.5 with a step forward.
Klein (Ark): Front lay through to double tuck. Switch side, popa, Shushinova. Dynamic and snappy to each position. Double pike. Right to the lunge. 9.875
Bunn (UK): BHS LOSO LOSO. YES MAAM. Killed that. Switch leap, split. In the zone. Beauty and the Beast this time. Stuck the double full dismount with a sizable lean forward. 9.875
Jones (Ark): Snap Snap. Ready to go. Front double full. I’ll stand ten toes down that that’s one of the best in college gymnastics. Switch ring, switch half. Dances right out. Back 1.5, front layout. A little off center on the punch there. Managed so well. Rudi. Easy money. 9.950
Patterson (UK): Almost there. Okay Tiana. BHS LOSO. Sharp arms. Great amplitude. Front aerial, split jump. Fought for her life. Should’ve been a larger wobble than it was. Cat leap, switch side. Good. Gainer pike. Stuck.
Smith (Ark): Front layout through to double tuck. To the lunge today. Switch side, popa. Not today. Shimmy shake. Double pike, in the clouds. My jaw dropped. Paused before stepping into the lunge for EMPHASIS. Yes ma’am.
Worley (UK): Switch side to open. CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT? Front aerial, BHS LOSO. Like a gymnastics clinic. Back 1.5 a couple stutter steps.
Williams (Ark): FTDT. WOW! Chest up. Back 1.5 to front layout. A touch back on the heels, but managed nicely. Switch side, popa. Perfect shape. Who doesn’t love a worm? Double tuck. Another great landing. Arkansas floor conditioning must be one of the best in the country. The way the Razorbacks finish a three pass routine not even out of breath is CRAZY.
Magnelli (UK): Ice princess. BHS LOSO LOSO. Another hit triple series for the Wildcats. Switch leap, straddle 1/4. Front aerial. Great arm position. LET IT GOOOOO. Gainer pike, stuck with a huge smile.
Price (Ark): Double layout. Chest a touch forward. Great extension in the air. Switch side, popa, popa. Wild in the air. Front full, front lay. Such a fun routine. Way to finish the meet, Razorbacks. 9.975
Program record on floor!!!
Final: Arkansas 197.400, Kentucky 197.150
What did I say? “If Arkansas hits bars, it has a chance.” The Razorbacks hit bars and just took down the No. 6 team in the country. Just let that sink in. When I tell you, postseason is going to be anyone’s game this year… I am being so serious. The competitiveness of NCAA gymnastics this year is going crazy, and I’m so here for it. Kentucky competed a bit tight tonight, making a few mistakes and missing more landings than usual.
AA Winner: Raena Worley (Kentucky), 39.350
VT Winner: Cami Weaver (Arkansas) & Lauren Williams (Arkansas), 9.925
UB Winner: Maddie Jones (Arkansas), 9.950
BB Winner: Bailey Bunn (Kentucky) & Isabella Magnelli (Kentucky), 9.875
FX Winner: Frankie Price (Arkansas) & Raena Worley (Kentucky), 9.975
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