I’m super excited for this meet! Cal’s consistency this season has been a pleasant surprise, going from finishing at No. 7 in 2023 to now No. 3. Utah has also established itself firmly in the top five, not losing a single step despite the offseason turmoil. Now these two teams will go head-to-head for a top-5 Pac-12 dual meet.
The Golden Bears are coming off a huge win at UCLA, in which the Bears posted a 198.400 final score. It was the highest score in program history. eMjae Frazier also set the Cal all-time individual all-around record with a score of 39.825. The performance earned her the title of Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week.
The meet included two 10.0s for the Golden Bears with Frazier getting a perfect score on floor – for the first time in her career – and Mya Lauzon doing the same on beam.
The Red Rocks also picked up a win last weekend, doing so against Stanford, with a score of 198.075. It was Utah’s first time getting a score of 198-plus this season.
Grace McCallum scored the first perfect score of her career on floor, in addition to other standout performances from Camie Winger, Makenna Smith, Abby Paulson, and Maile O’Keefe, who all won event titles last Friday night.
Rotation 1: California Vault, Utah Bars
Williams (Cal): Yurchenko full. Great height off the table. Slight hop backward, but a solid lead-off vault. 9.875
Smith (UU): Great first handstand. Pak Salto. Takes a step back on the dismount. Another solid leadoff routine. 9.825
Mayhew (Cal): Yurchenko 1.5. Hops forward on the landing. A little bit of leg separation onto the table. 9.900
Paulson (UU): Shaposh to Pak Salto, a little bit of leg separation. Good handstands. Double tuck dismount, and steps out of it on the landing. 9.750
Cesario (Cal): Yurchenko full. Hops backward. Really good height and distance from the table. 9.800
Zirbes (UU): Ray to Pak Salto. Legs and feet squeezed together. Gorgeous handstands. Stuck half in half out. 9.900
Frazier (Cal): Yurchenko double full. Twists incredibly fast of the table. So much power. Large step backward. 9.850
O’Keefe (UU): Shaposh to Pak Salto, feet come apart. High bar handstand a bit short. Steps forward on the dismount. Not bad but definitely could have been stronger. 9.850
Lauzon (Cal): Yurchenko 1.5. Legs and feet glued together. Doesn’t quite stick the dismount, two really quick steps backward. 9.900
McCallum (UU): Shaposh to Pak Salto and Stalder. Full twisting double tuck. Moving through this routine really quickly. Good dismount. Really nice routine. 9.95
Silvers (Cal): Yurchenko 1.5. Lands with feet really close together. Small hop forward on the landing. 9.875
Sabado (UU): Starddled Jaeger to bail. Stuck double layout dismount. Legs came apart just a tad. Another really strong routine. 9.875
Brown Exh (Cal): Yurchenko full. Really well done. Just a small hop backward on the landing. 9.800
Glynn Exh (Utah): Handstands a little short. Bail to handstand looks rushed. Double tuck dismount stuck. Not bad for an exhibition routine. 9.800
After 1: Cal 49.400, Utah 49.400
All tied up through the first rotation. Cal was the more consistent team from top to bottom – hitting its third-highest vault score of the year – but McCallum really gave the Red Rocks a boost with her score. Utah does seem to be a bit more dialed in with their landings. We’ll see if that carries over for the rest of the meet. Really looking forward to seeing how this meet builds.
Rotation 2: Utah Vault, California Bars
Winger (Utah): Yurchenko 1.5. Small step forward. Really good form on the table for a nice vault. 9.850
Lauzon (Cal): Maloney to Pak Salto. Hitting her handstands. Lands low in her knees but sticks the landings on the dismount. 9.825
Zirbes (Utah): Yurchenko 1.5. Steps diagonally backward on the landing. Very similar to Winger’s vault. 9.850
Cesario (Cal): Starddled Jaeger with good height to bail. High bar handstands a little short. Double layout with a small step forward. 9.875
Glynn (Utah): Yurchenko 1.5 Takes a significant step sideways but stays inside the lines. Another vault with really tight form. 9.900
Li (Cal): Starddled Jaeger looks great. Toes pointed throughout. Beautiful handstands. Stuck double tuck. Wow, what a gorgeous routine. 9.925
Smith (Utah): Half on, piked front off. Stumbles, almost sits it down but stays up despite a really low crouch in the landing. 9.525
Frazier (Cal): Shaposh to Pak Salto, handstands a little short. Stuck double layout. Moves through the routine really quickly but does a good job. 9.975
Rucker (Utah): Yurchenko 1.5. Good vault to get Utah back on track. Lots of height and distance off the table. Lacked a little bit of control on the landing. 9.900
Perea (Cal): Gorgeous first handstand. Pak Salto with lots of air. Ankles are glued together through this routine. Shaposh half. Stuck double layout. These landings are phenomenal. 9.975
Gilstrap (Utah): Yurchenko full with a flare. Small hop backward on the landing. 9.800
Williams (Cal): Maloney to Pak Salto. Great handstands. Stuck double layout. Another great routine with a fantastic landing. 9.975
Brown Exh (Cal): High Pak Salto. Maloney half. Almost had the stick on the dismount and just takes a small step backward. 9.825
After 2: Cal 99.125, Utah 98.700
Cal really showed out in the back half of that rotation. The landings were on point. Form was great overall. That was a super strong rotation from the Golden Bears that went 49.725, the second-best in program history. Utah’s vault rotation was a little underwhelming, especially with the scores that Cal put up on bars. The Red Rocks are going to have to put up some great routines to make up the deficit, especially if Cal’s momentum keeps building.
Rotation 3: California Beam, Utah Floor
Li (Cal): Front aerial to LOSO. Wobbles slightly on full turn. Split jump to ring jump. Gainer tucked full dismount. Stuck. Super strong lead-off routine. 9.875
Paulson (Utah): Front through to layout 2.5. Great energy in the routine. Front layout to front full to stag jump. Switch half to split half. Front 1.5. Great routine from Paulson. 9.875
Williams (Cal): Double wolf turn, seemed a little unstable. Very calming music. Front aerial to split jump. Gorgeous lines. BHS LOSO. Switch leap to split jump. Taking her time. BHS to gainer full dismount. Stuck landing. 9.900
Zirbes (Utah): Front double full in the first pass. Really well-controlled. Switch half popa. Good 180. Back 1.5 to front full. Great control on the tumbling. 9.925
Cesario (Cal): Slight wobble on full turn. BHS LOSO, has to turn her hips and bend over but stays on. Switch leap, switch half, solid. RO 1.5 dismount. Fights for the landing and keeps her feet in place. 9.750
Rucker (Utah): Super fun music. Huge half in half out, chest maybe a little low, but controlled landing. Lots of height on leaps. Back 1.5 to front layout, feet cam apart just a bit. Great energy, great routine. 9.900
Frazier (Cal): Front aerial to LOSO, smooth connection. Split jump, ring jump. Cartwheel to 1.5 dismount, stuck. Another great routine for Cal and for Frazier. 9.950
Gilstrap (Utah): Front layout to front double-twisting layout. Gorgeous leaps and jumps, beautiful pointed toes. Front layout to front full. 9.925
Lauzon (Cal): Solid wolf turn. BHS BHS LOSO, wavers slightly. Switch leap to split leap. RO double-twisting layout. Sticks it. Good routine. 9.925
O’Keefe (Utah): Double pike with great control on the landing. Front layout to front full. Switch leap to switch ring half, gorgeous lines. Back 1.5 to front layout. Another great routine with great energy. 9.950
Perea (Cal): Front toss, misses her left foot and has to come off. Repeats the front toss to connect to back tuck. Switch leap to split jump. Not quite 180. Side somi, tucked 1.5 dismount. 9.275
McCallum (Utah): Huge full-in with fantastic control. Switch leap. Switch half, great leaps. Front layout lands it awkwardly and not able to complete the pass. 8.675
Aderinto Exh (Cal): BHS LOSO LOSO, very pretty. Over rotates on the full turn. Gainer full dismount. Not the strongest exhibition.
After 3: Cal 149.525, Utah 148.275
Utah makes up a little bit of ground but Cal still holds onto its lead. Both anchors make mistakes, but both teams still put up really strong scores. Utah had some great tumbling while the Golden Bears had great form on beam. This meet is still within reach for Utah, so we’ll see how both sides close it out.
Rotation 4: Utah Beam, California Floor
Winger (Utah): Cat leap to front toss. Switch leap to split jump. BHS LOSO. Wobble on the full turn. Stuck dismount. Great routine. 9.850
Williams (Cal): Front layout to front 1.5. Love her floor music. Switch ring half. Back 1.5 to front layout. Good lead-off routine. 9.875
Gantner (Utah): BHS LOSO to straddle jump. Switch half, does not hit 180. Wobbles on full turn. Front full dismount hops forward just a tad. 9.825
Kane (Cal): Front full to front 1.5, decent control. Love her energy! Switch straddle half to wolf jump. Back 1.5 to front layout, great landing. 9.875
McCallum (Utah): Candlestick mount. BHS LOSO, leans a little to the side. Slight wobble at the end of her leap series. Gainer tucked full, stuck. Great distance and landing on the dismount. 9.900
Mayhew (Cal): Front double full to front pike. Switch ring to switch half, solid. Back 1.5 to front full, beautiful pass to end with. Great routine. 9.925
Paulson (Utah): Beat jump to side aerial LOSO. Switch leap to split jump. Gainer full dismount off the side. Sticks it. Really nice job. 9.925
Lauzon (Cal): Front double full to punch front, super high. Fun dance moves. Switch ring to switch half. Back 1.5 to front full. Really clean routine. 9.925
O’Keefe (Utah): Mount to her leap series. Side aerial to LOSO. Really taking her time through this routine. BHS gainer full, rebounds slightly, not quite sure if her feet moved or stayed on the mat. 9.925
Frazier (Cal): Double layout, phenomenal control. Great performance quality. Switch ring, split half. Great form on jumps and leaps. Front through to double back over rotates it but keeps the front foot firmly in place in the lunge. 9.975
Gilstrap (Utah): Wobbles a tad on some of her dance elements. Cat leap to front aerial. BHS back layout to two feet and falls. Switch leap, split jump. BHS gainers full off the side. Another mistake in the anchor spot keeps Utah from its full potential.
Cesario (Cal): Tucked full-in with a whole lot of power, can’t quite see if she stayed inbounds or not Switch leap to switch ring half. Back 1.5 to front layout. Solid routine to end with for Cal. 9.800
Li Exh (Cal): Nice double tuck for the first pass. Front full to front layout. Switch leap to switch ring half. Nice work in an exhibition capacity. 9.875
Final: Cal 198.100 197.700
Cal did a really good job today asserting its dominance over the rest of the Pac-12. Cal goes over 198 again and continues to put up impressive numbers. Utah, despite a couple of mistakes keeping it from being able to reach 198, posts a high 197 road score that can give the Red Rocks an NQS boost. All in all a really fun meet, a really competitive meet that both teams can take tons of positives away from as we get closer and closer to Pac-12s and NCAA Regionals.
VT: Kyen Mayhew, Mya Lauzon, Ashley Glynn, Jaedyn Rucker, 9.900
UB: eMjae Frazier, Gabby Perea, Maddie Williams, 9.975
BB: eMjae Frazier, 9.950
FX: eMjae Frzaier, 9.975
AA: eMjae Frazier, 39.750
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Live blog by Tia Reid
