There’s no place like home for the Centenary Ladies. In last week’s home opener against Greenville, they posted season-best scores on all four events and raised their team high by 4.4 points, breaking 190 for the first time this year with a 190.100 victory. Early-season meets were derailed by counted falls on bars and beam, but last week’s beam rotation was calm and controlled. Skyla Cruz led the way with a 9.800 to win the event, followed closely by Anna Ichiba’s 9.700. Bars remains a work in progress, though Olivia Williams captured the title with a career-high 9.700 and Clare Flores added a season-best 9.650 for second. In total, Centenary recorded seven career highs in a true team breakthrough—and will aim to replicate that energy today.
Texas Woman’s University enters off a 195.100 at the Metroplex Challenge, proving it can deliver strong numbers on the road. The Pioneers notched a season-best 49.175 on floor, showcasing powerful tumbling and dynamic choreography to climb to No. 31 nationally on the event. Despite losing three-event contributor Bailey Upton to an ACL injury, TWU’s season average is up two tenths from 2025. Jordan Loock has stepped into the vault lineup, while Sofia Steffan has bolstered floor—both consistently scoring 9.700 or better over the past two weeks.
Both programs compete in the Midwest Independent Conference and have met annually since 2016. As a Division II powerhouse facing a Division III challenger, Texas Woman’s has claimed every regular-season and postseason matchup in that span.
The meet will be streamed for free on YouTube, and scores can be found here.
Welcome to the Gold Dome in Shreveport Louisiana. The dome may be gold on the outside, but the ceiling is white on the inside, which can cause gymnasts difficulty in spotting the apparatus when swinging bars. Since TWU has a perfect record here, it likely won’t be a factor, but if we see uncharacteristic bars mistakes, that could be why.
The camera is placed in the ceiling facing the landing mat on vault, making it difficult to judge height during the post-flight phase of vaults.
Rotation 1: Centenary VT, TWU UB
Burford (CC) Yurchenko layout with pike down. 9.550
Bourgeois (TWU) Good blind change to straddle Jaeger, but the she arches over on her cast HS on high bar and jumps off. Goes into the bail, good HS on high, really high full in dismount. 9.175
Flores (CC) Yurchenko tuck full with legs splayed. It didn’t look very powerful. 9.700, so the judges disagree with me.
Zarlengo (TWU) Makes the straddle Jaeger with good form, arches her bail HS and legs come apart, but she keeps going into giants on high bar and a double layout with a stuck landing. Good one except for the bail mistake. 9.775
Foret (CC) Yurchenko full with pike and bent legs. She gets it around, but needs to clean up her form. 9.725
Loock (TWU) Arch in first HS on low, legs apart on Maloney backswing. Also has a high full-in with a small hop on landing. 9.750
Montgomery (CC) Handspring front tuck with legs splayed and a big hop forward. 9.500
Reid (TWU) Lovely form and really high straddle Jaeger. Struggles on cast HS on low. Blind full into high double tuck with a stuck landing. Good beginning and ending, but some trouble in the middle. 9.725
Washington (CC) Yurchenko tuck full to her hands and knees. Twist was going off line as well as being short of rotation. 8.925
Bowns (TWU) Toe HS, Maloney with legs almost straddled on backswing, which is surprising, because she normally has such good form. Double tuck with one step back. She’s happy and dances to express it. 9.850, high score of the day.
Ichiba (CC) Yurchenko full with pike and some sloppy leg form, but the best vault we’ve seen today. 9.625
Ferrari (TWU) Blind change right on top of the bar to straddle Jaeger, another blind change to stradle back as high to low transition. Double layout with leg separation and a step back, but a good ending to a solid rotation. 9.750
AFTER ONE: Centenary 48.100, TWU 48.850
That’s a season high for Centenary on vault, by a lot. Last week they scored 47.550 to set the mark. It’s good to see they have a lot of twisting vaults, which are sometimes lacking in Division III competitors. TWU also scores a season high on bars, although by a smaller margin, having scored 48.825 in their opening meet of the year. Bars has been Centenary’s lowest scoring event this season, so we’ll see if they can continue to build on the momentum they generated in last week’s meet and in the first rotation today.
Rotation 2: TWU VT, Centenary UB
Reid (TWU) Yurchenko full with nice flat hips in the air and a stuck landing. 9.850
Pinder (CC) Blind change with legs apart. Straddle Jaeger fine except for flexed feet. Legs moving during her full pirouette, almost helicoptering. She lands her double tuck upright with one step back. 9.400
Loock (TWU) Round off, full on, pike off. Good distance, but hips angled to right, showing she didn’t fully complete the twist. 9.775
Cruz (CC) Free hip to Geinger, too far from the bar and she falls flat on her stomach. After she resumes, free hip has bent arms. Finishes with a double tuck dismount. They give her the stick crown even though there was some foot movement. 8.725
Baker (TWU) Yurchenko full, again with good distance and body position, and one step. 9.775
Washington (CC) Blind change to straddle Jaeger, drags her feet on the overshoot. Double layout drifts to the left, but she lands upright with a small hop. 9.525
Murphy (TWU) Handspring front pike half with bent legs prior to landing and one step back. Nice to see some variety after the slate of Yurchenko fulls. 9.825
Ghanbari (TWU) Yurchenko full similar to the previous two, with good form and distance and a step backward. 9.775
Dunlavy (CC) Piked Gienger with leg separation, short HS on high, full-in dismount slightly short of rotation and a step back. Routine looked effortful, but no major errors to continue a good rotation for the Ladies. 9.425. One judge gives her a 9.90 start value.
Isbell (TWU) Yurchenko 1.5. Good distance, hop to the left. 9.825
Williams (CC) Nice handstand on low, smaller leg separations on Maloney and bail than most other gymnasts. Very high full in dismount to stuck landing. Excellent routine! The coach slaps the mat in a victory gesture. 9.750
Flores (CC) Toe HS, Maloney to overshoot with leg separation, giants on high to double layout. Ends with chest forward and a small hop, but a good finish to the rotation. 9.625
AFTER TWO: Centenary 9.775 (47.725 bars), TWU 97.900 (49.050 vault)
Once again Centenary smashes its season high on the event, which was previously 46.150. Williams’ routine was the highlight of the rotation. TWU broke the vaunted 49.0 mark event without 10.0 start value vaults, which speaks to the quality of the performances.
Rotation 3: Centenary BB, TWU FX
Foret (CC) Forward roll to leg kicks, which is cute. Split jump to straddle 3/4 is solid. BHS BHS LOSO is also right on line. Slight overturn of the hips on full turn. Switch leap to gainer back full off the side, which I haven’t seen before. Great routine. 9.675
Zarlengo (TWU) We join the routine in progress since the events are simultaneous instead of alternating. Really high back 1.5 to front layout, although the layout has leg separation. 9.800
Navarro (CC) This is the college debut for this freshman. Has trouble with the full turn right off the bat, but not the BHS LOSO. Switch leap to front toss. Lands low and almost comes off but saves it. Front tuck full off the end. Some nerves showing, but she gets through it. 9.425
Bourgeois (TWU) Double pike is nice in the air, but the she stumbles on the edge of the landing mat. Back 1.5 to font layout, also good as Zarlengo’s was. Double pike; steps forward instead of backward showing underrotation. 9.700
Cruz (CC) Straddle 3/4 to lean back with arm swing save. Stuck gainer back full off the side. 9.600
Steffan (TWU) Switch full to 2 wolf jumps, legs below horizontal on 2nd jump. We didn’t see any of the tumbling passes of that routine. 9.825
Gilbert (CC) BHS LOSO, small hip adjustment and arm circle to regain balance. Double full with a nice straight body position and one step back. 9.625
Hernandez (TWU) Punch front to double pike with good form and amplitude. Switch side Popa is well executed. She smiles during her choreography and seems to enjoy dancing. Another impressive back 1.5 to front layout. The compulsory pass for TWU because they do it so well. 9.875
Burford (CC) Front aerial to BHS with bent back leg but good balance. Full extension and good amplitude on swith leap. Straddle 1/4 does not end flush with the beam. Gainer front full off the side with shoulders behind feet causing a step back. 9.600
Ghanbari (TWU) Double pike with good form–I love it when they point their toes. She has dramatic music and hits the beats for emphasis. Switch side to wolf full to cabriole. I like that 3rd jump she adds on. She may not get much value from it but it makes her dance series unique. Front full to front layout, not the most secure step forward out of it. 9.900
Ichiba (CC) Split leap to switch half, short of split and square hips. Side aerial is good but she pauses before split jump. Gainer back full dismount is stuck. 9.675
Isbell (TWU) Double tuck lands perfectly. One leg on switch full is a little low. She is performing with confidence. Stream cuts away to show exhibition beam routine. 9.850
Mickens (TWU) Exhibition – punch Rudi with a bounce. Swich side to Popa, Popa not full split. She does a headstand in her choreo, which is a playful touch. Back 1.5 to front layout, good again. High double pike to finish and she has so much power she bounces back and skids into her lunge. This freshman was recruited for floor, so it was fun to see what she has to offer. With such good competitors on this event, she may have to wait until someone needs a rest before she gets a lineup spot. 9.750
AFTER THREE: Centenary 144.00 (48.175 beam), TWU 147.150 (49.250 floor)
Another season high for Centenary, beating last week’s high of 47.950. The Ladies are having an impressive meet. The Pioneers also up their season high on floor, having scored 49.175 last week at Metroplex. Although the meet isn’t close, both teams a performing well and should be satisfied with the outcome. Let’s see who can set another season high in the fourth rotation.
Rotation 4: TWU BB, Centenary FX
Hernandez (TWU) Forward roll mount, good full turn, she’s moving with confidence. Nice leg form on BHS LOSO. Gets full split on switch side, which you rarely see. 9.750
Murdock (CC) Front layout to front full, a little crossover on her step out. RO back tuck, so I assume she needed that for back tumbling credit. Punch Rudi lacking amplitude and she is unable to secure the landing without her feet sliding. 9.450
Reid (TWU) BHS LOSO–good form, split jump and she bends at the waist. Aerial stands right up but pauses slightly before split jump. Secure full turn, RO back 1.5 with good chest up position and small hop forward. 9.800
Ichiba (CC) Double pike with low chest landing and bound backwards. Back 1.5 to front layout. Layout is arched. Slight lack of split on switch half. FHS Rudi to split jump, jump lacking control, which could be said of the routine as a whole. 9.475
Steffan (TWU) Front tuck onto the beam is perfect, then she wobbles on her choreo. BHS LOSO, all the gymnasts seem to have similar technique, and it works. BHS to back 1.5 dismount with a stick. 9.850
Flores (CC) Double pike and she slides back on the landing, knees apart in the air. She is off axis and drifting on her leap combination. Front layout to front full and she almost runs off the floor but manages to stay in bounds. Centenary needs to work on landing control on floor.
Ghanbari (TWU) – Routine not shown, but she scores 9.750.
Navarro (CC) She debuts two events today. Punch Rudi to straddle jump. She travels sideways off the landing mat. Front layout to front full. She tucks her legs and falls out of bounds. 8.600
Goad (TWU) Nice full turn. BHS aerial, bends at the waist but stands up and regains her balance. Beat jump in isolation. Split jump to straddle 3/4 without a waver. Aerial to back 1.5 dismount with a step to the side. You don’t see that combination often. 9.600
Foret (CC) Double pike lands with chest down and she steps forward. Another playful dance sequence in this routine, which the entire team does on the sideline. Back 1.5 with a slide on the landing. Low leg on switch side leap. Similar to her teammates, she needs to work on landing control and precision in dance elements.
Isbell (TWU) Small adjustment of upper body on full turn. BHS LOSO LOSO is well performed. Switch leap has good amplitude. RO 1.5 with a lean back and a step. 9.800
Williams (CC) High double tuck with a good landing, good split on Popa but a small foot adjustment on landing. Has good extension and involvement of body parts in her dance, which is ’80s and ’90s inspired. Back 1.5 to front layout, layout a little short but manages to avoid a step back. 9.750
FINAL: Centenary 191.700 (47.750 floor), TWU 196.00 (48.950 beam)
Centenary fails to break its season high on floor, but improves its team total by 1.6 points, which is a great showing for the Ladies two weeks in a row. TWU obliterated its season high by over half a point. This was an enjoyable meet to watch since both teams did so well and showed what they’re capable of when in midseason form. There’s still a lot of gymnastics to come this year, and I look forward to seeing these teams continue to improve and soar.
VT: Reid (TWU) 9.850
UB: Bowns (TWU) 9.850
BB: Steffan (TWU) 9.850
FX: Ghanbari (TWU) 9.900
AA: No gymnasts competed all four events today.
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Live blog by Jessica Needle
