Have you recovered from the chaos that is conference championships yet? If not, hang on to your hats because this might end up being the most chaotic of them all.
LSU, Florida, Kentucky and Alabama have all reached 198 at least once this season, so that will be the goal in order to win this session. LSU has a theoretical home advantage with this meet being approximately 80 miles from Baton Rouge, while Florida seems to be peaking at the right time after pacing itself more than usual. Kentucky is here to prove that it has arrived as one of the powerhouses of the SEC, while Alabama will be looking to prove that its showing at Oklahoma was not a one-off. Basically, this is anyone’s meet to win. Let’s have fun, shall we?
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 close this out!
Of note so far, LSU is without Alexis Jeffrey today due to an illness. Olivia Dunne and Annie Beard were both spotted warming up on beam in her place.
Rotation 1: LSU vault, UK bars, UF beam, AL floor
KJ Johnson (LSU): Y full, stuck. Not much they could take. 9.875
Draser (UF): Series looked good, Switch leap to switch side connection, good 180. RO 1.5 dismount stuck. Good opening for the Gators.
Davis (UK): Blind to Jaeger, lost some toe point in the air, Bail to handstand, little loose in the bail, DLO dismount stuck. 9.900
Waligora (AL): FLO front double full to open, this choreography is so much fun! Back 1.5 to FLO to end it, good rise on the layout. Solid opening even with this LSU heavy crowd.
Finnegan (LSU): Y 1.5, small step forward on the landing.
Rizo (UK): blind to Jaeger, good form in the air. Little loose in the shoulders on her bail to handstand. DLO dismount, small hop back.
Blakely (UF): Front aerial to BHS series, good form. Sissone to switch half to beat jump, slightly short of 180 in the switch. Full turn was good. Side gainer full dismount.
Burgess (AL): double pike to open, good solid landing. Double tuck second pass, little bit of a low chest. Switch side to Popa leap series, slightly short of rotation. Front full to front layout final pass.
Drayton (LSU): Y 1.5, big step forward. Likely going to be the drop score.
Pilgrim (UF): BHS LOSO series looked solid. Front aerial , spot on. She’s been such a solid freshman for them so far. Interesting leap series, but ends it with a side gainer full.
Rodriguez (UK): Tkatchev, good. Clear hip was nice, transition to low bar, maybe some leg separation? Good dismount.
Hudson (AL): Even the Louisiana crowd knows how to groove to a little Sweet Home Alabama. Front double full was spot on, good control on the double tuck. And ends with the Dixieland Delight choreo. Nicely done.
Schoenherr (LSU): Y 1.5, small stutter step in place.
Lazzari (UF): BHS BHS LOSO series and falls off. Scary fall, but she appears to be okay as she continues. Moved through the rest of her routine well as she hits her cartwheel to gainer full dismount.
K. Johnson (LSU): Double twist, easily her best vault of the season. Little bit of knees in the air, but solid distance. 9.925, first score above 9.900 for the Tigers.
Sears (AL): DLO to open, good chest position in the air. Good toe point in the leaps, even with the crowd cheering LSU. Front tuck through to double tuck, good control on that landing as well.
Bunn (UK): blind to Jaeger, caught it on the tips of her fingers. Little short on her bail to handstand, but recovers on her final handstand. DLO dismount stuck.
Bryant (LSU): FHS pike half, the tiniest leg separation off of the horse and a hop in place.
Blanco (AL): double pike to open, solid landing. 2nd pass is a double tuck, good control on that one as well. Switch half to straddle jump, her toe point is easily seen from up here. Finishes with a front full to FLO and dances right out of it.
Wong (UF): A hit avoids counting Lazarri’s fall. BHS LOSO series, calm, cool and collected. Front aerial to beat jump, little lean after the aerial. RO double twist dismount, small hop on the landing.
Gladieux (AL): Tucked full in to open, stuck cold before taking her step back. Got her leaps rotated around fully, FLO to Rudi to split jump to close it out. Should move them into sole possession of 2nd place, but we will see.
After 1: LSU 49.475, Alabama 49.475, Kentucky 49.425, Florida 49.400
LSU and Alabama tied after the 1st rotation. The Tide closed out the first rotation with four straight 9.900s while LSU got 2 9.900 plus scores from Kiya Johnson and Haleigh Bryant at the end of the rotation. Florida avoided having to count a fall, while Kentucky quietly cruised on the bars.
Rotation 2: AL vault, LSU bars, UK beam, UF floor
K. Johnson (LSU): Maloney to bail, good, possibly short on the last handstand, DLO stuck.
Sears (AL): Y full, stuck, leaned forward to keep the stick.
Nguyen (UF): Her musicality is sooo pretty. Beautiful needle turn, back 1.5 to front full 2nd pass, very nicely done!
Rodriguez (UK): Switch leap to split jump to open, good 180 position. BHS BHS LOSO solid. Side somi, a little far forward to try to keep the stick. RO 1.5 dismount.
Cowan (LSU): Ray to overshoot combination, very nicely done! Beautiful last handstand, DLO, stuck!
Bunagan (AL): Y 1.5, stick. Tiniest bit of foot form in the air, some leg separation before the landing.
Brose (UK): Standing front tuck, balance check. Front toss to BHS series, good. RO 1.5 small step forward.
Ferris (UF): Tucked full in to open, big slide backwards. Switch side to Popa, good toe point. Back 1.5 to FLO, good control on that landing.
LaCoursiere (AL): Y 1.5, large step forward on the landing.
Dunne (LSU): Getting a huge cheer from the crowd here as she mounts, Tkatchev to Pak salto, good. Half pirouette, maybe not quite of the bar. DLO dismount, small slide sideways.
Bunn (UK): BHS LOSO LOSO, good. Switch leap to split jump, good rise in the split. Double twist dismount, stuck.
Pilgrim (UF): Front full through to double tuck, nicely done! Nice extension and toe point in the leaps. Double back to close, good routine! Needing to hit that 9.900 range to stay in this.
Hudson (AL): Y 1.5, good distance off the table, small hop forward off the landing.
McClain (LSU): good opening handstand, Church to Pak. some leg separation in the Pak, good transition back to high bar, FTDT dismount, foot adjustment on the landing.
Patterson (UK): Falls on her series, continues on. Good split position in her leaps. Switch side is pretty, gainer pike, bit of a low chest. Unfortunate, but another set of pressure routines incoming.
Hurd (UF): Underrotated their first pass, landed short. Good musicality throughout, underrotated final pass and took some steps. Not what you want to do when the other teams are hitting 9.900 plus.
Blanco (AL): Y 1.5, good distance and block off the table. Held that landing too!
Schoenherr (LSU): blind to straddle Jaeger, high above the bar, held that handstand after the bail! Blind to double front half, foot adjustment on the landing. Good routine!
Worley (UK): Two hits needed here. BHS LOSO, good. Full turn was solid, she’s talking her way through this beam routine to calm herself down. RO 1.5 dismount, stuck. Good comeback after a fall.
Blakely (UF): Front tuck through to double tuck, good control in the landing. Such pretty leaps in the air, wow! Back 1.5 to front full 2nd pass, her full definitely rose higher than the 1.5
Gladieux (AL): Y full, some flexed feet in the air, stuck landing.
Magnelli (UK): Needs a hit to avoid counting Patterson’s fall. Gets her triple series. Good form on leap series, gainer pike dismount stuck. Avoids counting the fall!
Bryant (LSU): Blind to Jaeger, good catch. Bail to handstand, nice and tight. Double front half dismount, small step forward on the landing.
Wong (UF): Needs higher than a 9.525 to kick up Florida’s score. DLO to open, good chest position in the air. Beautiful toe point in the leaps! I know a lot of people don’t like flowy choreography, but I can vibe with this. Good combination pass! Should avoid counting the 9.525, but Ferris’ 9.750 will count toward Florida’s team score.
After 2: LSU 98.925, Kentucky 98.925, Alabama 98.775, Florida 98.575
Kentucky now tied for the lead with LSU! Florida has had some trouble with landings, something we’re not used to seeing from the Gators, so if they want a chance to catch the leaders, the landings will need to come quickly. LSU and Kentucky need to keep their foot on the gas and Alabama needs to keep its momentum heading into rotation 3.
Rotation 3: UF vault, AL bars, LSU beam, UK floor
Draser (UF): Y 1.5, lacked a little distance off the table, some knee form in the air. Good landing.
LaCoursiere (AL): Maloney to Pak, solid leg form. Van Leeuwen back up to high bar, FTDT dismount, stuck. Good opener for the Tide.
Ballard (LSU): BHS LOSO, solid. Sissone to switch half, little pause before the switch half but judges haven’t taken it most of the season. Front toss is good, RO 1.5, had the stick, just took a step forward.
Rodriguez (UK): Fun little 80s themed routine here! Good extension on leaps throughout, Back 1.5 to front full to close out her routine.
Nguyen (UF): Y 1.5, more distance than Draser’s, some knee form in the air and leg separation.
Hudson (AL): Maloney to bail, little loose in the legs on the handstand, blind full to double tuck dismount, stuck.
Schoenherr (LSU): In for Jeffrey here, let’s see what she can do. Front aerial, some knees in the air. BHS LOSO, good form. Low beam choreo, fun! Split 3/4, good extension. RO double twist, small step on the landing. Not bad for not doing beam all season until today.
Wilson (UK): Back 1.5 to FLO to open, good rise in the layout. Front tuck through to double tuck, good control on that landing as well. Kentucky doing what it can to keep the lead.
Blakely (UF): Y 1.5, underrotated, had to take a step back.
Adams (AL): Maloney to Pak, no leg separation, had to cover a mistake on the low bar and do an extra cast before her half pirouette, blind full to double tuck dismount, good landing.
McClain (LSU): Switch leap to switch half, almost 180 on the leaps. Front aerial to BHS series, so glad they ended up changing that from what it was originally. Side aerial, nicely done. Side gainer full dismount, stuck. 10.000
Magnelli (UK): Good opening pass, switch side to Popa, beautiful position and toe point! Double pike to close, little low in amplitude but got it around.
Pilgrim (UF): Y 1.5, beautiful lines in the air, small hop in place.
Waligora (AL): Blind to Jaeger, nicely done even with all the noise in the crowd with McClain’s score. Gets her final handstand, blind full to double tuck dismount.
K. Johnson (LSU): BHS LOSO series, small lean but recovers well. Front toss, small balance adjustment but moves on nicely. Double twist dismount, stuck.
Ferris (UF): Y 1.5, big hop forward on the landing.
Davis (UK): Double pike to open, slide backwards on the landing. Switch side to Popa, good extension. Fun little combination pass with this rock and roll music, Double tuck to close, good amplitude.
Bryant (LSU): Front aerial to BHS series, hits it well. Good extension on the leaps, standing front tuck had a slight lean, split jump was good. Front 1.5 dismount, stuck.
Machado (UF): Pak salto to low bar, hits her handstand, Van Leeuwen back up to high bar, blind full to double tuck dismount, hop forward and some knee bend on the landing.
Wong (UF): Full-on front pike half off, small foot movement on the landing.
Brose (UK): SO underrated on floor. Double pike with a ton of height to open! Little bit of form issues with the leap series, but rotates it well. Back 1.5 to FLO, good. Good musicality throughout
Finnegan (LSU): Higher than a 9.775 to improve team scores. Small lean after triple series, Front aerial is good, side gainer full dismount, stuck.
Blanco (AL): Maloney to Pak salto, slightly short on the handstand on the low bar, Van Leeuwen back to high bar, FTDT stuck. Alabama’s been quietly cruising on bars!
Worley (UK): She has the floor to herself for her final SEC championship floor routine. Tucked full in to open, good control on the landing. Very nice toe point on the leaps, FHS to front full to FLO, good rise between skills. Moonwalk, yasssssss. Double tuck final pass, stuck. She is HYPE after that, jumped right into Coach’s arms.
After 3: Kentucky 148.425, LSU 148.400, Alabama 148.300, Florida 147.850
Oh. My. Word. Kentucky has a .025 lead over LSU heading to the final rotation. Worley’s 9.975 set them ahead in a big way. LSU stayed on the beam, which is something other teams haven’t been able to do tonight. Kentucky will need to find every stick imaginable if they want to pull a stunner for its first SEC tournament championship ever.
Rotation 4: UK vault, UF bars, AL beam, LSU floor
Procasky (UK): Y full, tiniest hop on landing.
Hudson (AL): front aerial to BHS series, good. Switch leap switch leap, good rise on the second leap. Switch half, lacked a little split. RO 1.5, stuck landing.
McClain (LSU): DLO to open, good chest position. Back 1.5 to front full final pass, maybe the tiniest knees in the air.
9.825 for Blakely on bars.
Rizo (UK): Y full, good form and distance, slightly off center with a hop back.
Nguyen (UF): Maloney to Pak, little leg separation, little short on the half pirouette, DLO dismount, small hop backwards.
Drayton (LSU): DLO to open, had to pike it down just a tiny bit but got the landing. Front tuck through to double tuck 2nd pass, fun choreography! Switch ring to switch half, good extension in those leaps.
Patterson (UK): FHS pike half, slightly off center off of the table, but nailed that landing! Wildcats are not making it easy on the Tigers.
Lazzari (UF): Tkatchev to open, pretty, Pak salto to low bar, little leg separation, back up to high bar, FTDT, hop in place. Good comeback after a fall on beam!
Burgess (AL): one handed BHS LOSO series to Justin Bieber in the background. Why? Beat jump to switch side, good extension in the switch side. Gainer pike off side, stuck.
KJ Johnson (LSU): Full in, stuck. Back 1.5 to FLO, good control on that landing, it’s one she has struggled with before. Switch side to Popa, solid. Double tuck dismount, stuck. She’s been searching for a 10 all season and the roof might come off of the place if she gets it here.
Magnelli (UK): FHS pike half, more center than Patterson’s, small lean forward to keep the landing.
Disidore (UF): Maloney to Pak salto, good. Van Leeuwen back to high bar, DLO dismount, good landing.
The crowd is MAD KJ Johnson did not get a 10 on that one.
Gladieux (AL): BHS layout to two feet, good difficulty. Slightly overrotated the full turn, Side aerial to beat jump, good. Switch leap to split jump, solid extension. RO double twist, small step.
Finnegan (LSU): OOB on her double arabian. Did she just give Kentucky the win? Good comeback on her final pass. Bryant and Kiya Johnson will need to be the 1-2 punch they have been all season to close this out for LSU.
Worley (UK): Y 1.5, good form and distance, step forward on the landing.
Adams (AL): wolf turn, good. Little hesitation before her leap series, switch leap to split jump. BHS 1.5 dismount, stuck.
Pilgrim (UF): Maloney to Pak, good combination. These coaches have gotten dangerously close to touching the gymnasts all night and it makes me nervous. Good dismount to close.
Bryant (LSU): Double front to open, nailed it. FLO to Rudi, also a solid landing. The crowd calling for another 10.
Wilson (UK): FHS pike half, good distance and landing, but will it be enough?
Wong (UF): Maloney to Pak salto, solid combination. Van Leeuwen back up to high bar, DLO dismount, stuck. Good way to close out a tough meet for Florida.
Blanco (AL): BHS LOSO LOSO, nailed it. Good flexibility on this skill. RO 1.5 dismount and a farewell to the crowd in her final SEC championship performance. Take a bow Luisa Blanco.
K. Johnson (LSU): Tucked full in to open, solid. The crowd knows what’s about to happen. Nails the double pike, the team is dancing, the crowd is screaming, everyone’s gone crazy.
FINAL:
Five years to the day LSU won its last SEC championship title, the Fighting Tigers do it again in front of the Louisiana crowd with a 198.075! What a night! Kentucky gave it all it had and then some, but counting scores in the 9.8’s is something you cannot do. Alabama takes the runner-up title in a confident performance that should give the Tide some momentum heading into regionals next week. This was fun, now I’m going to take a nap.
VT: Bryant (LSU): 9.975
UB: Cowan (LSU): 9.950
BB: McClain (LSU): 10.000
FX: Worley (UK), KJ Johnson (LSU), Kiya Johnson (LSU): 9.975
AA: Bryant (LSU): 39.800
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Live blog by Savanna Wellman
