Laissez les bons temps rouler! Happy conference championships day! I’m live from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans ready to bring you all the action from the SEC championships! In session one, we have Arkansas, Missouri, Auburn and Georgia ready to battle out to be the leaders in the clubhouse heading into the nightcap.
These four teams are all within four tenths of each other in NQS, so this meet should be pretty close. Arkansas has finally reached the potential many hoped it would after hiring Jordyn Wieber and come into this session as the favorite, having beat its opponents in the regular season. However, if the Razorbacks slip up, Missouri could easily swoop in and take the win in the afternoon session. Auburn has remained relatively consistent throughout while Georgia’s underclassmen have stepped up in the absence of big competitors to propel it to one of its strongest seasons since Courtney Kupets Carter arrived. This one could come down to the very last landing.
As always, you can follow along with live stats here, watch on the SEC network or stream here! You can also follow your favorite team using the following event streams: vault, bars, beam, and floor! Let’s get rolling!
Intros just finished up, we are a few minutes away from starting! Based on what I saw in warmups, everyone looks ready to go. I also do not have the best view of beam, but I can see everything else pretty well!
Rotation 1: ARK vault, MIZ bars, AUB beam, UGA floor
Weaver (ARK): Y full, good pop off the table, small hop back on the landing. 9.800
Zancan (AUB): beautiful press mount to start, BHS LOSO solid, Switch leap to switch half, broke the connection so her start value could be impacted. RO 1.5 dismount. 9.475
Burns (MIZ): blind to Jaeger to overshoot, good connection overall. beautiful last handstand, DLO stuck. 9.775
Howard (UGA): Front tuck through to double tuck, underrotated with a low chest. Got the leaps around with no problem. Last pass is double pike, keeps herself in bounds. 9.650
L. Smith (ARK): Y full, small hop in place. 9.775
Light (MIZ): Toe-on to Maloney to Pak, minor leg separation. Half pirouette was right on top of the bar. DLO dismount stuck! 9.825
Brusch (AUB): Switch half to beat jump, lacked some split on the switch. BHS LOSO was good. Switch leap straddle quarter combo, much improved on split position, side gainer full dismount. 9.850
Fitzgerald (UGA): “Toxic” music, my sister would DIE if she heard this. Switch side to wolf full, fully rotated. Double tuck to close, overall a solid routine! 9.800
Price (ARK): Y full, solid in the air, hop in place. 9.800
Marshall (MIZ): Blind to straddled Jaeger, SO MUCH HEIGHT! Overshoot was good, FTDT small hop in place. 9.825
Hollingsworth (AUB): BHS LOSO, small lean after the layout. Switch half to split jump, lacked some form in the switch. BHS gainer full dismount stuck. 9.800
LaClair (UGA): Front full through to double twist, OOB on the landing. Switch to straddle, good toe point. Rudi to LOSO pass to end it. 9.675
Essenpries (ARK): Y 1.5, way too much power and takes several steps forward out of it. 9.525
Schreiber (MIZ): Maloney to bail, really tight position in handstand, DLO dismount, stuck! Very nicely done! 9.875
Groth (AUB): BHS BHS LOSO, good. Switch leap to switch half, solid form throughout the series. Cartwheel to gainer full dismount, stuck. 9.900
Klein (ARK): Can she repeat her record setting vault from last week? Y 1.5, good form, small step on the landing. 9.825
Wahl (UGA): Tucked full in to open. Switch half to wolf, good toe point. Final pass is front tuck through to double tuck, small step forward out of it. 9.800
Stevens (AUB): BHS LOSO, good. Split jump to stag jump was pretty in the air. Her signature skill, the Stevens, spot on. RO 1.5 dismount, small hop forward. 9.850
Moore (MIZ): Tkatchev to overshoot, right over the bar, very nice. Little short on the final handstand, but gets the FTDT dismount. 9.850
WIlliams (ARK): Y 1.5, small hop forward on the landing. Good form and block off the table.
McLaughlin (AUB): BHS LOSO, solid! Beat jump to side aerial, very nice fluidity between skills. Beautiful toe point in her leap series. Switch leap to straddle quarter, slight wobble after the switch leap. Repeats the series so she gets credit. Stuck dismount.
Snyder (UGA): Wow that opening pass had a lot! Leaps were solid as well, getting a lot of cheers from her teammates! Double pike to close, OOB on the landings.
Titarsolej (MIZ): Maloney to Pak. zero leg separation, half pirouette right on top of the bar, beautiful final handstand, blind full to double tuck STUCK. That could be in contention for the bars title, y’all.
L. Smith (UGA): FLO to front double full to open. very nicely done. Back 1.5 to FLO 2nd pass, really good rise between skills. Switch side to wolf full, her usual. FLO to Rudi to straddle jump to close her routine.
After 1: MIZ 49.325, AUB 49.150, ARK 49.050, UGA 48.875
Two out of bounds for Georgia was not the way it wanted to start this meet. Missouri delivered on the bars and capped it off with Titarsolej’s 9.950 on the bars. It heads to the beam, where it hasn’t always delivered in clutch situations, while Arkansas heads to bars, an event where it has been strong this season.
Rotation 2: UGA vault, ARK bars, MIZ beam, AUB floor
LaClair (UGA): Y full, piked down ever so slight at the end, gets the stick!
Swaney (ARK): Toe-on to Ray, Pak salto to low bar, slight leg separation, on the Pak. DLO dismount, little bit of leg separation.
Davis (MIZ): BHS LOSO, good. Front toss, little hop forward. Straddle jump to sheep jump, smallest lean afterwards. BHS gainer full dismount.
Brusch (AUB): Front tuck through to double tuck, small step forward on the landing. Good form on the leap series! Double pike to close, smallest step on that landing as well.
Smith (UGA): Y full, straight body in the air, flared out to spot the landing and got the stick.
Linton (ARK): Good first handstand, Maloney to Pak, nicely done. Half pirouette was maybe a tiny short on the low bar, stick on the dismount.
Chris Brooks just spotted someone in the crowd and of course had to wave. How adorable.
Light (MIZ): BHS BHS LOSO, spot on. Split jump to straddle half, nicely done. Very calm and collected before that. Cartwheel to one knee, looking like she’s trying to breathe through this routine. Cat leap to gainer pike dismount, small hop on the landing.
Drotar (ARK): Toe on to Maloney to bail, little loose in the shoulders on the bail, DLO dismount, stuck.
Scott (UGA): Y full, slightly off center off of the table but got the landing.
Huff (AUB): Tucked full-in to open, very nice control on that landing. Switch ring to switch full, WOW, that’s a difficult leap combo and she performed it flawlessly. FHS to Rudi to close. Short and sweet but very nicely done.
Groth (AUB): Front double full to open, large step forward. Switch half to wolf full, maybe a little underrotated on the wolf full. 1.5 to FLO second pass, fun little choreography. Rudi to close.
Howard (UGA): Y full, small foot adjustment on the landing, nice distance from the table.
Scalzo (ARK): Jaeger to overshoot, very nice combination. Good final handstand on the high bar. DLO dismount, small hop forward.
Griffin (MIZ): Full turn to open, front toss to BHS series, keeps her arms moving to get credit for the series. Switch leap to switch leap to beat jump, nicely done! BHS 1.5 dismount, small hop backwards.
McLaughlin (AUB): Bit of an issue with the floor music to start, but now we’re going. 1.5 to FLO to open, good rise in the FLO. Leap series was rotated around. Double pike to close, good solid routine.
Schaffer (MIZ): Good control on her series, split jump with good toe point. RO 1.5 dismount with a stick.
Park (ARK): Ray to Pak salto, tiniest leg separation, beautiful final handstand, DLO dismount, STUCK.
Battle (UGA): Y 1.5, sits it down, didn’t have quite enough rotation to get it around. Shame because the other vaults for Georgia had looked so good up until this point.
Stevens (AUB): FLO to Rudi, solid. Switch half to wolf full, her usual. Double tuck to close, good control on the landing.
Celestine (MIZ): BHS, tried to go for the immediate side aerial, but stopped. Repeated the series and got it the second time. BHS gainer full dismount. Interested to see what the judges do with her start value.
Jones (ARK): Blind to piked Jaeger, ton of height, Pak salto to low bar, good. beautiful last handstand, DLO dismount stuck
Wahl (UGA): Y 1.5, underrotated and took a couple steps back before she sat it down. Georgia counts a fall.
Hollingsworth (AUB): full out to open, stuck it cold. Fun choreography throughout this routine! Double tuck to close.
Schreiber (MIZ): Needing higher than a 9.525. BHS LOSO LOSO, form break after the second layout but stays on. Switch half to split jump, good. Beat jump to side gainer full dismount. Good save on the series.
After 2: MIZ 98.625, ARK 98.300, AUB 98.300, UGA 97.275
Counting a fall on the vault likely puts Georgia out of contention for the victory. Sienna Schreiber wins save of the day as Missouri is ahead by 0.325 at the halfway point.
Rotation 3: AUB vault, UGA bars, ARK beam, MIZ floor
Groth (AUB): Y full, little bit of bent knees in the air, small hop back on the landing.
Fitzgerald (UGA): Tkatchev to overshoot, good combination. DLO dismount, leg separation with a hop back.
Gamiao (ARK): Standing LOSO LOSO, nicely done! Very unique combination. Switch leap to split jump, good 180 in the leaps. RO 1.5 dismount, small step forward.
Schreiber (MIZ): Front full to FLO to stag jump to open, nice. Rudi to layout to split jump, really fun combination as well. Switch full to split full, WOW! 9.900 to open.
Schumaker (AUB): Tucked Y 1.5, small step forward on the landing.
Howard (UGA): Short on the first handstand, Church to overshoot, the Church is becoming a more popular release move this season and I am here for it. Blind full to double tuck dismount.
Jones (ARK): Front aerial to BHS BHS, nicely done. Full turn is slow and controlled. Split jump to stag jump, good toe point. RO 1.5 dismount, got the landing.
Kratzer (MIZ): Whip through to double tuck, very nice! Switch side to Popa, little out of control but gets it around. Double pike was solid as well.
Hollingsworth (AUB): Y 1.5, small step forward on the landing, good distance!
Wahl (UGA): Good first handstand, Maloney to Pak, nice form in the legs, half pirouette is good. DLO dismount, stuck.
Swaney (ARK): Cat leap to front aerial, tiny lean but covers it well. BHS LOSO, nails it. Switch leap to split jump, lean after the split jump. BHS 1.5 dismount, stick.
Horton (MIZ): Full in to open, slight slide of the front foot on the landing. Oh this choreography is something else, yes ma’am! Leaps looked good. Front tuck through to double tuck as her final pass.
Hubbard (AUB): Y 1.5, hop forward and to the side on the landing.
Snyder (UGA): had some issues in warmup, but nails her Church to overshoot series, Blind full to double tuck dismount, nice stick on the landing.
Weaver (ARK): BHS LOSO, very good. Straddle jump to stag jump, maybe a tiny bit of foot form? Good job on the full turn. RO 1.5 dismount.
Celestine (MIZ): Full-in to open, solid landing. Front full to front layout 2nd pass, this dive is so much fun. So much height on her double tuck to close!
Huff (AUB): Nails her Y 1.5, best vault of the rotation so far for Auburn.
Klein (ARK): Side aerial to LOSO, good. Lacked a little split in the leap series, but kept it together. RO 1.5 dismount stuck.
Stevens (AUB): Y 1.5, stuck. Auburn closing with back to back sticks.
Griffin (MIZ): Front tuck through to double tuck, small adjustment of the foot afterwards. Whoever did Missouri’s choreo this year is my new favorite. Double pike was super high, tour jete half to Popa Popa, lot of height and control on rotation.
“Girl on Fire” playing in the arena bc this place is on FIRE!
Smith (UGA): Maloney to Bail to handstand, beautiful legs on the handstand, FTDT, stuck. Georgia calling for a 10. Won’t get it.
Moore (MIZ): Missouri will have the lead heading into the final rotation, but how much of a lead? DLO to open, good chest position. Switch half to Popa to Popa, good rotation. Front tuck through to double tuck, very nice on the landing!
After 3: MIZ 148.025, ARK 147.750, AUB 147.375, UGA 146.725
Missouri putting on a show three rotations in with three scores of 9.900 plus! Auburn ended the rotation with two 9.900s on vault from Huff and Stevens, while Georgia went back to back 9.925s from Scott and Smith. Arkansas will need a huge number on floor if it wants to win this session.
Rotation 4: MIZ vault, AUB bars, UGA beam, ARK floor
Schreiber (MIZ): Y full, good distance off the table, solid landing.
Brusch (AUB): Toe hand to Maloney to Pak, good transition, beautiful handstand. DLO dismount stuck. One judge goes 10 for that routine.
(UGA): BHS LOSO, good. Switch leap to switch half, lacked a little split on the switch half. Gainer full dismount, low chest on the landing.
Gamiao (ARK): Double pike to open, good control on the landing. Small slide of the front foot on the double tuck, but good routine to open.
Davis (MIZ): Y full, small hop backwards on the landing.
Hollingsworth (AUB): blind to piked Jaeger, good, bail to handstand, nice tight position, FTDT dismount, stuck.
Klein (ARK): Double tuck to open, kept her foot in bounds barely. Double pike was also really good.
Griffin (MIZ): Y full, good stick on the landing. Missouri can feel it.
McLaughlin (AUB): Maloney to Pak salto, slight leg separation, holds the half pirouette on the low bar, beautiful final handstand, blind full to double tuck, little off balance on the landing.
Battle on beam for UGA, had a slight check on her leap series. BHS gainer full to close.
Celestine (MIZ): Y 1.5, little off center on the landing, but sinks in and finds it.
Jones (ARK): Front double full, nicely controlled on the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout, good rise on the layout. Rudi to close, Arkansas not letting Missouri win without a fight.
Groth (AUB): Tkatchev, couldn’t get her grips around the bar and falls. Auburn’s first mistake of the day. Blind full to double tuck after restarting her routine.
Moore (MIZ): Y 1.5, hop back on the landing.
L. Smith (ARK): Front through to double tuck, small step forward. Switch side to Popa Popa, little out of control but gets it around. Double pike to close, good control.
Stevens (AUB): Toe on to Tkatchev to overshoot, good. Needs a hit to avoid counting a fall. DLO dismount, stuck! Nice recovery!
Horton (MIZ): Y 1.5, small hop backwards on the landing.
9.950 for Anya Turner on beam, Georgia staying strong.
Williams (ARK): Full-in to open, stuck cold. Wow. Back 1.5 to front layout, solid. Switch side to Popa, good rotation. The worm is a fan favorite and I am here for it! Double tuck, underrotated so a small hop forward. Good but not her best.
Greaves (AUB): Needs another hit here to avoid counting a fall. Church to Pak salto, beautiful control. FTDT, small hop forward and to the side.
Lily Smith hits 39.600 in the all-around after hitting Georgia’s 2nd straight 9.950 on beam.
Price (ARK): Needs to go lights out here. DLO to open, very solid landing. Good extension on the leap series throughout. Killing this choreography too! Front full to FLO to end it. Good routine, but it won’t be enough to catch Missouri.
FINAL: MIZ 197.275, ARK 197.050, AUB 196.775, UGA 196.075
Missouri pulls out the victory in session 1 with a solid 197. Each team gave some tenths away on different events, but overall, this was a solid competition. Now, I’m going to go recover and prepare for the chaos that is sessions 2. See y’all then!
VT: Huff (AUB), Stevens (AUB), Horton (MIZ): 9.900
UB: Titarsolej (MIZ): 9.950
BB: Turner (UGA), L. Smith (UGA): 9.950
FX: Jones (ARK), Schreiber (MIZ), Griffin (MIZ), Moore (MIZ): 9.900
AA: Lily Smith (UGA): 39.600
READ THIS NEXT: Upgraded Vaults Increase Top Programs’ Championship Hopes
Live blog by Savanna Wellman
