Somehow, I blinked and it was already conference championships. The Big Ten has been closer than ever before this season and today will be our last look at the conference’s top teams before regionals. Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, and Minnesota will be competing in the evening session.
This year, Michigan State is the favorite to win Big Tens. The #9 Spartans are competing at home and are firmly in the Nationals conversation this year. Michigan shouldn’t be counted out though. The #10 Wolverines have a long tradition of winning this meet. The meet is likely to be won or lost on vault, and sticking landings is critical. If the Wolverines outscore the Spartans there, they will massively improve their chances of victory.
While the Michigan teams are coming in more likely to win, don’t forget about Ohio State or Minnesota! Both have the ability to hit big when it counts, and if the Michigan teams have off days while these two hit, either team has a chance of winning. The Buckeyes and the Gophers are ranked #15 and #16 respectively, and will be looking for scores in the mid to high 197s to hold on to their seeded regionals positions.
Scores after Session 1:
Maryland 196.775, Illinois 196.700, Nebraska 196.250, Penn State 195.825, Rutgers 195.400, Iowa 193.975
VT: Bacskay, Ward 9.900
UB: Spence, Rothenbuescher, LeBlanc 9.900
BB: Komoroski, Takekawa 9.875
FX: Libby, Fitzgibbon, Townes 9.900
AA: Spence 39.450
Rotation 1: Michigan VT, Minnesota UB, Ohio State BB, Michigan State FX
Pritchard (OSU): Hitch kick side aerial, keeps it together. Full turn secure. BHS LOSO good. Beat jump, straddle 3/4, tiny bit off but corrects it. Step on the dismount. 9.725
Beaufait (MSU): Front double twist, good. Gorgeous ring leap to switch half. Back 1.5 to front lay good. Floaty final pass. Good leadoff! 9.725
Mulligan (Mich): Yfull, flare, hop in place. 9.875
Jencks (Minn): Typing during the beginning of the routine but so far so good. Short on the last handstand. Double lay with a hop back. 9.8
Guggino (Mich): Y1.5, lands short and takes a couple steps back. 9.7
Tucker (MSU): Rudi to LOSO, very pretty. Double turn to switch half to straddle jump, tough connection and she does it well. Front double twist, kind of wild lunge but nothing major. 9.9
Hankins (OSU): Steady on the full turn. BHS LOSO with the tiniest shoulder check. Nice front toss. Slightly short of split on leaps. RO double twist with a step forward. 9.75
Johnson (Minn): Maloney with leg separation, bail is good. Toe on front pike half, stuck. 9.85
Morrison (Mich): She’s back! Y1.5 with a tiny hop forward. 9.875
Stephen (MSU): Gorgeous double pike. Good height on leaps. 9.9
Sirjord (Minn): High straddle jaeger to shoot over. Blind full to double tuck with what I think was a tiny step but Karas thinks it’s a stick. Front double twist, similar to Tucker with a bit too much power. 9.85
Harris (OSU): Slow BHS to start. Switch leap straddle quarter good. Steady full turn. Front aerial, back tuck, steady. RO double twist with a step. 9.85
Wilson (Mich): Y1.5 with a big hop forward. 9.85
Harkness (MSU): Half in half out, lifts her heel on her lunge. Switch leap, tour jete, popa, lots of height and good precision. Front punch through to double tuck, another overpowered lunge but nothing crazy. 9.875
Brooks (Mich): Y1.5, stuck. 9.975.
Lyden (Minn): Maloney, bail, floaty double lay stuck with an arm swing. 9.85
Vetter (OSU): BHS LOSO good. Calm side aerial. Switch leap, straddle quarter. RO 1.5 twist, stuck. 9.925
Gerdes (Minn): Maloney, bail, legs glued together. Full in stuck. 9.9
Smith (MSU): Typing during her first pass but it looked big. Great height on leaps. Very floaty in her combination pass. Massive double tuck, stuck cold. 9.925
Jordan (Mich): Yfull with a bounce back. 9.7
Hooten (Minn): Shy on first handstand. Very high piked jaeger. Full twisting double back, stuck. 9.925
Hodges (OSU): Standing switch leap straddle 3/4, good. BHS LOSO, rock solid. Tentative full turn but no wobbles. Gainer LOSO, great. RO 1.5 dismount, tries to hold the stick but has to hop forward. 9.85
Schulte (MSU): Full in, perfect control. Switch half, stradle full. Front through to double tuck, sky high. Team is cheering for a 10. Ends up being a 9.95
McCann (OSU): RO layout, so difficult and so good. Switch leap split jump good. Full turn is good. RO 1.5 with a step forwards. 9.85
After 1: Michigan State 49.575, Minnesota 49.375, Michigan 49.275, Ohio State 49.225
Michigan struggled to find its landings on vault, and a 9.975 from Brooks didn’t quite make up the difference of counting a 9.700. That brings Michigan’s chances of winning down, but don’t count them out yet. On the flip side, Michigan State put on a show on floor, not counting any scores below a 9.900 and are in the lead after the first rotation. Minnesota did what they needed to do on bars, lead by a 9.925 from Hooten. Ohio State hit beam, but some hoppy landings held their score back. They can relax knowing they’re through beam though, and this meet is still very close.
Rotation 2: Michigan State VT, Michigan UB, Minnesota BB, Ohio State FX
Vore (Mich): Big straddle Tkatchev, nice bail. Good final handstand, slightly pikey double lay with a small hop back. 9.9
Gonzalez (OSU): Double pike with the tiniest foot adjustment on the lunge. Great oversplit on leaps. Back 1.5 to front lay, floaty and good control. 9.9
Schulte (MSU): Yfull, stuck. 9.85
Koch (Minn): Quick full turn. BHS LOSO with a small shoulder dip. Beat jump, split 3/4, very short of split. Front toss to scale, really shows off the balance on the scale. RO 1.5 with a step. 9.8
Wilson (Mich): Piked jaeger, bail. Sticks the double lay. 9.9
Tucker (MSU): Y1.5 with great form in the air and a small hop forward. 9.875
Riccardi (OSU): Double pike with a bouncy lunge. Slightly short of split on leaps. Combination pass is solid. Double tuck, has to take a step backward after the lunge. 9.775
Pearl (Minn): BHS LOSO, good. Full turn. Switch leap, straddle quarter, nice. Front aerial to beat jump is pretty. Sticks the gainer full dismount.
Morrison (Mich): Clear hip to bail, slightly lopsided but nothing crazy. Double lay with a step. 9.85
Zsarmani (MSU): Y1.5 with a big step. 9.8
Washington (OSU): High double pike, gorgeous control on landing. Front lay to front full, great control again. Tiny loss of precision in her leaps. Good double tuck. 9.825
Moraw (Minn): Secure full turn. BHS LOSO solid. Side aerial is good. Beautiful straddle to straddle 3/4. BHS Gainer full, stuck.
Bauman (Mich): High straddle tkatchev to bail. Beautiful last handstand. Front double tuck, stuck. Great routine! 9.9
Stephen (MSU): Y1.5, similar to Zsarmani with a big step forward. 9.875
Vetter (OSU): Great double tuck to open. Good leaps. Front lay to Rudim good final pass. 9.875
Gerdes (Minn): Front aerial, tiny adjustment. BHS LOSO, small balance check. Speedy full turn. Split leap, double stag ring, nice position in the air. Small step on the dismount. 9.8
No, BTN, Nikki Smith is not Sierra Brooks,
Smith (MSU): Big Y1.5 with a step forward. 9.875.
Brooks (Mich): Big piked jaeger, bail. Full twisting double lay, stuck! 9.925
Harris (OSU): Front double full to a front tuck, good control. Double pike, bounces back in her lunge. 9.9 feels high.
Kellerman (MSU): Front pike half with a small hop back. 9.9
Jordan (Mich): Big straddle jaeger but catches too far and peels off on the handstand. Bail is good. Blind full to double back with a step. 9.25
Horak (Minn): BHS LOSO good. Pike jump to split half is very pretty. Beat jump, standing LOSO, gorgeous. Calm full turn. BHS gainer full, stuck. Great routine! 9.9
Hodges (OSU): Double pike with a slide back in the lunge. Good precision with the leaps. Rudi to LOSO good. 9.25
Sirjord (Minn): Very quick full turn. BHS LOSO, off but keeps it in line. BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.9
After 2: Michigan State 98.950, Minnesota 98.800, Michigan 98.650, Ohio State 98.650
Well, things are very exciting after the second rotation, with just 3 tenths separating the teams. I think after two rotations I can safely say that the floor judging is a bit generous, with several slidey/hoppy lunges getting overlooked. Keep that in mind for Minnesota and Michigan in terms of their standings.
Michigan State didn’t find its landings on vault, but great height and form in the air allowed them to maintain their lead. Michigan had a solid bars rotation, other than Jordan’s fall. Sierra Brooks is having a great night thus far, and highlighted the Wolverine’s bar rotation with a 9.925. Minnesota needed a big beam rotation and they got it, dialing into their landings and minimizing deductions throughout to nab the top event score of the rotation. Ohio State got some gifts from the floor judges but still showed off great tumbling and artistry.
Rotation 3: Ohio State FX, Michigan State UB, Michigan BB, Minnesota FX
Mulligan (Mich): Nice full turn. Cat leap to front aerial, very confident. BHS LOSO solid. BHS tucked 1.5 stuck! Great routine for her. 9.9
Johnson (Minn): Front full, front half, nice opening. Hits oversplit on leaps. Double tuck out of a roundoff to close. 9.85
Washington (OSU): Yfull, tiniest hop in place, great leadoff. 9.85
Schulte (MSU): Came in at the end of the routine, double layout stuck. 9.9
Grimes (OSU): Yfull, legs far apart on landing but stuck! 9,875
Guggino (Mich): Full turn with a shoulder check. BHS LOSO, rock solid. Straddle jump, straddle half, big hip bend check. BHS 1.5 with a step forward. 9.6
Gonsiorowski (Minn): Full twisting double tuck, tiny bit overrotated. Back 1.5 to front lay. 9.875
Zsarmani (MSU): Gorgeous pak. Maloney to in-bar Gienger, great. Big double tuck stuck. 9.9
Riccardi (OSU): Yfull, great form in the air and a bounce back. 9.8
Stephen (MSU): Typing and missed the start of her routine. Gorgeous final handstand. Full twisting double back, tiny hop. 9.8
Wilson (Mich): Good BHS LOSO. Switch leap, switch leap. Overrotates the full turn but prevents a big check. Double back with a step back. 9.825
Harris (OSU): Y1.5 with a hop forward. 9.8
Koch (Minn): Front double twist, controlled lunge. Back 1.5 front lay nice. Missed the final pass but she’s happy with it! 9.85
Kellerman (MSU): Straddle jaeger, bail, gorgeous. Double lay with a tiny hop forward. 9.825
Vetter (OSU): Yfull, flare, stuck! 9.85
Smith (UB): Maloney, pak with the tiniest leg separation. Double lay, stuck. 9.9
Vore (Mich): BHS LOSO, tiny shoulder check. Good full turn. Confident front toss. RO 1.5 with a small step forward. 9.85
Pearl (Minn): Back 1.5 to front lay. Gorgeous oversplit in her leaps. Double pike, lunges forward. 9.875
Gregory (OSU): Y1.5, lands with locked knees and stumbles forward. 9.75
Harkness (MSU): High, floaty Geinger, so pretty. Bail is lovely. Half in half out with a hop. 9.85
Bauman (Mich): Good full turn. BHS LOSO, rock solid. Split leap, straddle half, beat jump, good. Side somi is good. Tiniest foot movement in the dismount. 9.9
Love both Bauman and Gerdes moving in time to the music.
Gerdes (Minn): Front through to double back, good control. Little short of split on leaps. Great double pike to close. 9.925
Hooten (Minn): 10.0 watch starts now. Massive full in with perfect control. Great oversplit on her leaps. Front full to front pike, so floaty. Double tuck, sky high, tiny slide on the lunge. 9.95
Brooks (Mich): BHS LOSO LOSO, rock solid. Switch leap to beat jump good. Quick full turn. Front toss with a shoulder check. BHS double twist with a step forward. 9.675
After 3: Michigan State 148.325, Minnesota 148.275, Michigan 147.800, Ohio State 147.800
Standings remain the same after Rotation Three, but Michigan State has expanded its lead. The Spartans had a stick-fest on bars but need to hit beam to walk away with the win. Minnesota put up a big 49.475 on floor and are within striking distance of Michigan State if they can find landings on vault. Speaking of landings, Ohio State was a bit hoppy on vault and didn’t break into the 9.900s. Michigan struggled a bit on beam. They didn’t count a fall, but did have to count an uncharacteristic 9.675 from Brooks. However, they can make up ground if they go lights-out on floor, which they are absolutely capable of, especially with generous floor judging.
Rotation 4: Minnesota VT, Ohio State UB, Michigan State BB, Michigan FX
Bauman (Mich): Front double twist to open. Switch half to two wolf fulls, good precision. Back 1.5 to front lay, good control. Good leadoff for the Wolverines! 9.875
Kalefe (MSU): Quick full turn. BHS BHS LOSO, snaps her arms back to avoid a check. Switch leap, check and breaks the connection. Cartwheel gainer full stuck. Not sure what the start value situation will be here. 9.25
Pritchard (OSU): Geinger, shootover. Blind full to a double back, stuck. 9.775
Jencks (Minn): Yfull with a bounce in place. 9.8
Mulligan (Mich): Front through to double back, good. Double pike, a little crunched on the landing and lunges forward. 9.8
Washington (OSU): Maloney, pak with a bit of leg separation. Slightly off with her full pirouette, but gets the double tuck around! 9.75
Nguyen (Minn): Yfull with a big step back and over the line. 9.775
Tucker (MSU): Has a long wait due to judges’ conference on Kalefe’s score. Beautiful control on her series, especially the BHS. Beat jump to split 3/4 good. Solid side aerial. Pretty full turn. BHS gainer full, stuck. Clutch from her! 9.825
Vetter (OSU): Huge straddle Tkatchev, clear hip to bail. Half in half out, stuck. Great routine! 9.875
Guggino (Mich): Front lay to double pike, great. Layout to 1.5 twist, not very high but good control. 9.85
Harris (OSU): Slightly loose legs in the bail. Gorgeous last handstand. Blind full to double tuck, stuck! 9.9
Brooks (Mich): Needs to bounce back after beam. Full twisting double back, stuck cold. Tour jete to a split full, gorgeous. Front through to double back, gorgeous. 9.95
Harkness (MSU): Nice full turn. BHS LOSO good. Switch leap, switch leap, great. Side aerial. Side aerial to tucked 1.5 with a step back. 9.75
Pearl (Minn): Yfull with a step forward. 9.7
Riccardi (OSU): Big straddle tkatchev, legs glued together in the pak. Double tuck stuck. 9.9
Wilson (Mich): Her usual open full twisting double tuck. Good height in her leaps. Front lay, Rudi, good control. 9.95
Morow (Minn): Yfull, stuck! Minnesota needed that. 9.875
Gerdes (Minn): Y1.5 with a big step forward. 9.8
Schulte (MSU): Switch leap, switch half, beat jump. BHS LOSO, good. Switch leap, gainer full, stuck! She’s had a great meet today. 9.9
Hankins (OSU): Straddle jaegar, good. Pak with leg separation, switch kip. Double lay, stuck. 9.8
Thaxton (Mich): Full twisting double tuck, small stumble and bounce in the lunge. Good height in her leaps. Front through to double tuck, almost identical bounce and stumble in the landing. 9.7
Garcia (MSU): BHS LOSO solid. Front aerial to split jump very pretty. Switch leap, split leap, great extension. BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.925
Hooten (Minn): Y1.5, stuck! 9.975, career high! What a way to close her competition!
Stephen (MSU): Pressure is on to drop Kalefe’s score. Front aerial to two feet, small check but disguises with dance. Great full turn. BHS LOSO, good. Beat jump, straddle half, small check. RO double twist stuck! That should be enough for Michigan State! 9.875
FINAL: Michigan State 197.600, Minnesota 197.500, Michigan 197.225, Ohio State 197.050
Michigan State did it!!! What a meet and what a moment for them! It didn’t come easy, and the team showed a lot of grit in that beam rotation. Schulte winning the all-around is a massive individual victory as well. Minnesota really gave Michigan State a run for its money, and upset Michigan for second place. As for Michigan, coming third in the Big Tens isn’t a place the Wolverines are accustomed to, but hopefully it will put a fire in their belly for regionals. Ohio State put together a solid meet but will be looking for a better performance at regionals.
VT: Brooks, Hooten, 9.975
UB: Brooks, Hooten, 9.925
BB: Garcia, Moraw, Vetter, 9.925
FX: Brooks, Hooten, Schulte, Wilson 9.95
AA: Schulte 39.600
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Live blog by Naomi Stephenson
