The MPSF Championship features Southern Utah, UC Davis, Sacramento State, and Alaska vying for the title. Southern Utah enters as the favorite, though UC Davis could capitalize on any mistakes. The Thunderbirds need to improve on beam, an event that troubled them last week, and they’ll also contend for several event titles, with Ellie Cacciola and Niya Randolph in the mix.
UC Davis is on the regional bubble and needs a strong score, particularly on bars and beam, to bolster its chances. With Keanna Abraham and Megan Ray leading vault and floor, and Amelia Moneymaker coming off a season-high 39.550 in the all-around, the Aggies will challenge for titles.
Sacramento State and Alaska are out of the regionals race but will aim to cap off solid seasons. Sacramento State is coming off season highs in its last two meets and has beam as a strength, with Grace Gilman and Sarah Lutrel in the title hunt. Alaska, aiming for a strong finish, will rely on floor, with Montana Fairbairn leading the way after scoring as high as 9.900.
Bubble watch update, UC Davis can pass West Virginia with a 196.250 for a spot at regionals.
One touch started right on the hour, we’ll be getting started shortly!
Rotation 1: Southern Utah VT, UC Davis UB, Alaska BB, Sacramento State FX
Cacciola (SUU) – Yurchenko full, dynamic as always, small landing error 9.850Gilman (Sac State) Double pike, large lunge, tour jete, Popa. Front lay, front full, nice. 9.750Kelly (SUU): Yurchenko full on pike off, deeper landing, big hop
Knecht (Davis) Maloney, Bail, big leg separation. Aggressive handstand, stuck double layout, good start.
Hampton (SUU): Yurchenko full, near stick 9.850
Scafani (UC Davis): Jaeger, overshoot, nice. Good handstand, giant full, double tuck, cowboyed with a big squat and step back.
Christensen (SUU): Yurchenko 1.5, nearly stuck, a little squatty
Gideon (UC Davis) Piked Jaeger, overshoot, some bent arms. Good handstand, double layout with a step, 9.775
Dumas-Guzman (Sac State): First pass was fine, tour jete half, good. Switch half, Popa, Popa. Rudi, lacking some control and crossed legs
Leesig (Alaska) coming in late switch leap back tuck was very clean. Stuck gainer full
Oshiro (UC Davis): Big Tkachev, Pak with leg separation. Greant blind full, double tuck stuck, really nice. 9.800
Morgenthaler (Sac State): Rudi, loso, clean, Leaps are lacking some precision. Nice double pike
Boyd (Alaska): Nice bhs loso. Switch half is short, Stuck gainer pike. Nice one
Fitz-Gerald (UC Davis) Straddled jaeger, overshoot, good. Strong handstand, stuck double layout 9.800
Moneymaker (UC Davis) Good handstand. Maloney, Bail. Leg positions are great. 9.90! Strong handstand, nearly. stuck double layout. UC Davis doing what they can on bars!
Costello (Alaska) bhs loso, nice. Full turn. Switch leap, switch 3/4, very short on the second leap. Stuck back 1.5, another strong hit, 9.750
Jones (Sac State): Double tuck, chest a little low. Leaps are fine. Front lay front, full. Nice Rudi to finish
Wong (Alaska): Bhs, loso, secure, some knee form. Full turn. Side aerial, big check. Another check on a jump. Back 1.5 is stuck
Lutrel (Sac State): Double pike, lacking a little control on the lunge. Front lay, front full, nice. Great control on ending double tuck
AFTER ONE: Southern Utah 49.000, UC Davis 49.000, Sacramento State 48.850, Alaska 48.325
Southern Utah and UC Davis are tied after one! Southern Utah was solid on vault but lacked sticks, while UC Davis looked really strong in the back half of its lineup after a few shaky routines to start. The Aggies should move to beam with some confidence after that strong rotation. Sacramento State is just over a tenth out of first after a solid floor rotation led by Lutrel’s 9.825. Alaska also had a solid starts, counting five strong hits on beam and sticking four dismounts.
Rotation 2: Sacramento State VT, Southern Utah UB, UC Davis BB, Alaska FX
Gilman (Sac State): Yurchenko half, a little short with a step back
Poonja (UC Davis): Bhs, bhs, loso, secure. Split jump, double stag jump nice. Gainer full, small hop, strong start.
Neff (SUU): Maloney, Bail, good leg postions. Strong handstand, Double layout small hop, nice.
Morgenthaler (Sac State): Does the Yurchenko 1.5, love it! Lands a bit deep and with a hop and step to the left, but exciting to see her throw the difficulty
Lutrel (Sac State): Tucked Yurchenko full, hop.
Another strong hit for SUU on bars, a really long delay and now a conference on beam. Alaska just had a second solid floor routine from Spain
Abraham (UC Davis): Bhs, layout, step and a small check. Full turn. Switch leap, switch side, balance check and slow connection. Bhs, back 1.5 with a step.
Boyd (Alaska): Front tuck through to double tuck is nice. Straddle position on her Popa is sharp. Double pike, chest low but good control.
Houghton (Sac State): Solid Yurchenko full, hop back
Christensen (SUU): Arches a handstand a little bit. Nice Jaeger, short handstand, Bail. Good final handstand, stuck double layout 9.875
Ray (UC Davis): Coming in midway, aerial was clean. Bhs loso is secure with some knee form throughout. Tucked front full, stuck, assuming the first half was solid, that should be a solid score. 9.825
McGuire (SUU): Maloney, Pak, a little awkward with the rhythm and a big leg separation. Good handstand, stuck double layout with some leg separation.
Wyly (UC Davis): Bhs, loso, nice extension, tiny heel raise of the front leg. Full turn. Split jump, straddle quarter, medium sized check. Front aerial, great. Stuck gainer pike. 9.800
Desouza (alaska)Front double full, nice. Switch half wolf full, good amplitude on both. Back 1.5, front full, well controlled, strong routine.
Moneymaker (UC Davis): Front toss, bhs, small lean. Full turn, beat jump. Split jump, double stag, nice double stag position. Stuck gainer full! Another 9.900 for her, having A DAY
Fairbairn (Alaska): Front lay, Rudi, nice. Leaps are really nice, especially that straddle position. Front lay, front full, clean. Great final floor routine for her.
Oshiro (UC Davis): Bhs, loso, leg up check but saves it. Full turn. Stainder gainer loso, another small check. Switch ring, missing some of thar ring position. Switch leap, straddle quarter, nice positions. Cartwheel gainer full, stuck.
AFTER TWO: Southern Utah 98.225, UC Davis 98.100, Sacramento State 97.600, Alaska 96.850
Southern Utah takes the lead after two thanks to a really strong bar rotation, highlighted by many stuck double layouts. Going to its strongest events, UC Davis is in a good position after hitting 49 on beam. Sacramento State is also right in it if either Southern Utah or UC Davis has an error after a strong vault rotation led by Driessen’s 9.825. Alaska hit floor well for a 48.525 including a pair of 9.8s. Half way through in Anchorage!
Rotation 3: Alaska VT, Sacramento State UB, Southern Utah BB, UC Davis FX
Randolph (SUU): Bhs, loso, nice. straddle, straddle quarter, sharp position. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.800
Albert (Alaska) Tucked Yurchenko full with a step back and to the side
Riechow (UC Davis) Front tuck through to double tuck, good amplitude, small foot movement. Switch half, wolf full, wolf full, nice wolf positions. Double pike, stuck. Switch side, Popa, good Huge start for Davis.
Fall on bars for Sac State
Costello (Alaska): Tucked Yurchenko full, better distance than the first, two steps back.
Christensen (SUU): Side aerial, bhs, some knees and a medium check. Switch leap, split jump, short of split on the jump. Front toss, another lean. Stuck 1.5, some moment, but a hit
Wyly (UC Davis): Good double tuck, well controlled. Switch ring, tour jete half, nice ring shape. Double pike, short but jumps to lunge to cover.
Duffis (Alaska) Big Yurchenko full, a little crooked and a step
Bringhurst (SUU): Nice bhs, loso. Big balance check on a ful turn. Beat jump, split 3/4, front toss is great. Back 1.5 is stuck
Morgenthaler (Sac State) Straddled jaeger, Pak is good, nice legs together. Double layout, small step, one of her best bar routines, 9.75, nice
Oshiro (UC Davis) Rudi, straddle jump, a little crazy in the air. Switch ring, tour jete half, good positions. Back 1.5, front lay, layout is low with some leg separation. 9.725
A fall from Cacciola on beam for Southern Utah.
Ray (UC Davis): Double Pike, huge but lacking some control. Leaps are strong. Front tuck through to double tuck, amplitude is great but again lacking a touch of control.
Miller (SUU): Bhs, loso, solid. Full turn, no issues. Stuck double full! Nice one!
Houghton (Sac State): Great handstand, Huge Jaeger, good Pak. Takes the double layout to her knees, a shame because it was so good on the bars.
Abraham (UC Davis): Double layout, gigantic and great control. Switch side half, straddle jump. Punch front through to double tuck, another strong landing, great routine going to be a huge score 9.900
Ferguson (SUU): Bhs, side somi, keeps it going. beat jump, split, 3/4, very short of split. Precise backhandspring swing down. Gainer pike, a little low with a small hop, but strong overall
Moneymaker (UC Davis): Rudi, loso, great control and twisting form. Switch half, wolf full, really got that wolf leg up there. Front tuck through to double tuck, small hop afterward, but another solid routine for her today!
AFTER THREE: UC Davis 147.400 Southern Utah 147.300, Sacramento State 146.150, Alaska 145.350
UC Davis retakes the lead after three thanks to a massive 49.300 on floor. Southern Utah survived beam after a fall, but had to count some major balance checks. Sacramento State struggled a little bit on bars, but was able to secure a nice 9.800 from Chloe Cohen. Alaska had another solid rotation on vault, competing six twisting vaults for a nice 48.500!
In this last rotation, I’ll be following Southern Utah and UC Davis closely. The Thunderbirds are certainly strong enough on floor to secure the victory here but will need to hit. If my math is correct, UC Davis can contend for a regionals spot with a 48.750 on vault, so I will be watching for that number. This is going to be exciting!
Rotation 4: UC Davis VT, Alaska UB, Sacramento State BB, Southern Utah FX
Leadoff fall for Alaska on bars, and a fall for Sac State on beam.
Hampton (Southern Utah): Front double full, step over. Leaps were fineRudi loso well controlled.
Reichow (UC Davis) Balks and she only does a timer, pressure is on now for the rest of the lineup, doesn’t look hurt but was kind of cautious to get up.
Fernandez (Southern Utah): Double tuck, a touch short, but covers it well. Switch half, wolf full, wolf full, short of rotation on the wolf jumps. Back 1.5, front lay, lacking some amplitude, but well controlled. Rudi, good control.
Wyly (UC Davis): Tucked Yurchenko full, hop and a step, clean in the air, 9.725
Christensen with a nice double tuck for Southern Utah on floor.
Kim (UC Davis): Yurchenko full, big hop back, but good in the air.
Duffus (Alaska) Jaeger, caught close and has to do a couple of swings to get back into it, overshoot. Good handstand, Nice blind full, double tuck to her knees.
Moneymaker (UC Davis) Yurchenko full, good block, another big hop back, 9.800
Another fall for Sac State on beam
Randolph (SUU): Stuck double layout, great. Switch side half, straddle, straddle. Punch front through to double tuck, great routine
Ray (UC Davis): Yurchenko half on, tuck half off, stuck! Excellent and at the best time! 9.900!
Abraham (UC Davis): Yurchenko 1.5, trying for the stick, takes a step back, huge in the air as always, 9.800
Cacciola (SUU): Punch front through to double tuck to open, chest a little forward. Switch ring, switch half, wolf full, that switch ring was excellent. Rudi, clean. And that clinches it for Southern Utah!
Gull (SUU) Full in, nicely done, leaps were a little short of rotation. Back 1.5, front pike. Double tuck, short with a step forward
And a third fall for Sacramento State on beam
FINAL: Southern Utah 196.625, UC Davis 196.400, Sacramento State 193.775, Alaska 191.875
Southern Utah takes the MPSF title after a massive floor rotation that totalted. After a balk in the first spot, UC Davis stormed back on vault to total a 49.000 and secure a spot at Regionals as a team! Unfortunately for Sacramento State and Alaska their final rotations did not go as well as they were hoping with both having to count some missed routines. Even then, Jada Niles hit a nice 9.800 for Alaska and Emma Morgenthaler finished her career in style with a solid 9.800 on beam, in addition to both teams having really solid performances on the other three events. Amelia Moneymaker had a career day for UC Davis totaling a 39.500 in the all around to take the title!
VT: Megan Ray 9.900
UB: Amelia Moneymaker 9.900
BB: Amelia Moneymaker 9.900
FX: Niya Randolph, Brinlee Christensen 9.925
AA: Amelia Moneymaker 39.500
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Live blog by Rebecca Williams