For the third time this weekend, welcome to the Maverik Center! Utah is looking for redemption after some falls in this building over the weekend. Southern Utah and BYU’s opening meet scores were exactly matching, while Utah State is making its season debut today.
Rotation 1: Utah State VT, Southern Utah UB, Utah BB, Utah State FX
Randolph (SUU): Clear hip to true Shap to bail, a few degrees short. FTDLO stunning, little hop. 9.775
Andersen-Broekman (BYU): Switch ring half, low front leg. Seeing a bunch of those this year, not sure if the deduction is going to be taken. Rudi to leap to open, switch ring switch half with also slightly iffy positions. One and a half front lay, soft knees into the ground.
Witte (USU): Maybe a touch soft on the table on her FTY but clean in the air, touch of pike down, baby hop. 9.75
Gantner (UU): Some changes in this lineup after the disaster on Saturday. BHS LOSO, arms up fast, strong. Switch half, big check, hangs on. “Any time you see a gymnast wobble, it’s going to be a deduction.” Wow! Repeats it to get her leap connection. Full turn, tentative but made, one and a half twist with a hop to the side. Don’t wanna count that. 9.55
Hampton (SUU): Blind, feet apart, to Jaeger to overshoot, switch kip. She’s got great potential extension through her legs and isn’t always the most disciplined with them, some preventable bits of form. Double lay, scoot-step. 9.75
Orengo (USU): FTY, some pike, hop back. 9.75
Hoke (BYU): Frankly no idea what that first leap was meant to be, very ambiguous shape. Round off double back, controls it well. Switch half Popa wolf full is strong. Front lay front full, some knees in the air and shuffle on the landing. 9.825
Smith (UU): Secure on the double wolf, BHS LOSO, switch straddle quarter with lukewarm positions. Gainer pike, great, fun little celebration. Needed that.
Dewey (USU): Freshman! FTY, hard to tell from this angle but looks like she keeps the hips open, chest a bit low with a shuffle.
Jorgensen (BYU): Front double full, twisting into the ground, big cross step. Rudi, almost weird to see it out of combination. Cat leap switch half wolf full, actually stuck which I appreciate so much on a leap pass. One and a half front lay good.9.725
Ferguson (SUU): Following a fall from Goodman that we didn’t see. Blind to pike Jaeger, cast is off and aggressively arches up to get it vertical. DLO stuck-ish. Curtsy, adorable. 9.8
Valdez (USU): FTY, solid, little hop in place.
Ryssman (UU): Her leg form is unbelievable. BHS LOSO, aggressive and lovely. Switch side somi, nothing to take there. Double full stuck. Stunning routine.
Eaquinto (BYU): Double pike, big hop back and OOB. One and a half front lay a bit whippy. Baseball themed routine??
Southam (USU): Yurchenko half, looks a bit surprised by the landing (as would I be, no shade) with a bounce.
Neff (UU): Hilariously this meet started aggressively editing to see every routine and now is skipping fast and loose to avoid getting too behind. Side aerial BHS aggressive, sharp. Aerial round off to Shushunova is maybe a bit slow? Double full dismount stuck. 9.65… something weird happened.
After 1: Utah 49.075, BYU 49.000, Utah State 48.900, Southern Utah 48.900
Really close! Looking forward to the breakdown of what happened to the Neff score. Obviously they’re appealing it.
Rotation 2: BYU VT, Utah State UB, Southern Utah BB, Utah FX
Kirkham (BYU): FTY, weirdly twisting on and some pike, shuffle to the side.
Jelen (USU): Toe to Maloney to bail, tiny leg sep but great feet. DLO hangs in the air and stuck.
Glynn (UU): Front double full OWWW twisting into the ground and knees buckle, somehow avoids a fall. Switch ring switch side Popa actually really excellent. One and a half front lay great.
Randolph (SUU): Wolf turn, kickover front BHS BHS great! One and a half twist, solid. Another cute celebration. This is the thing this year.
Jorgensen (BYU): Full on pike off, clean in the air, small hop back. Hard to get the chest up on that one but she’s just fine.
Laufer (USU): Bail to toe shoot, aggressive handstands, SHUSHUNOVA somehow I didn’t know she does that. Blind full double back, scoot. Ok this bars team is fun.
Neff (USU): Front double full Barani double stag is so good. Switch side Shush pike full. One and a half front full, quick baby step. Good one.
Hampton (SUU): Front aerial BHS LOSO, lean and saves it with strong arms and a smile. Switch split. She looks not emotionally tormented by being up here which is key. Full turn, check. Gainer full, stuck on her heels.
Stephenson (BYU): FTY, got some air on that, pace back.
Vater (USU): Clear hip to Deltchev to overshoot. Great. These knees are STRAIGHT. Double lay, flings it out with a big step forward.
Miller (SUU): BHS LOSO sensible. Cat leap switch half beat, little bit of a knee swivel to keep it square but makes it work, full turn is fine. Double full, clean rotation, scoot back.
Zirbes (UU): Front double full landing is beautiful. Switch half split full to knee, love. One and a half front full and another step out that is so deliberate and delicate. Not a lot to take there. 9.925 DESERVED
Sonnenberg (BYU): One and a half, little scoot to the side. A bit of twist onto the table.
Orengo (USU): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, sole circle that I wasn’t 100% sure was deliberate but either way she worked through it just fine, DLO stuck. 9.85
Ferguson (SUU): Following a fall which we didn’t see because this broadcast doesn’t believe in mistakes. Korbut off the top, love her low choreo, double wolf. BHS, pretends that wasn’t meant to be connected, BHS side somi tentative but I would call it a series. Gainer front full off the side, check. Little bit of a gut check there and she passed it.
Johnson (UU): Double lay, short and step forward. Switch side Popa straddle, may have forgotten that she was meant to do that it was really awkward. Double pike, chest up but it looked like hard work.
VanderToolen (USU): Anchor for my new favorite bars team. Toe to Maloney to Pak, gorgeous. Borderline cast, stalder double back with pointed toes in the air and a touch short with a hop forward. That’ll do to drop the fall, anyway.
de Groot (SUU): Wolf turn, BHS LOSO… over to the back and big leg-up check but gets it back. Switch half to beat. Side somi good. One and a half, little hop back.
Smith (UU): Front double full punch front, really solid. Rudi LOSO, nothing to complain about there. Strong finish, will drop the Glynn routine just fine.
After 2: Utah 98.300, BYU 97.975, Utah State 97.900, Southern Utah 97.650
Utah out in front but this isn’t looking like a strong NQS score.
Rotation 3: Utah VT, BYU UB, Utah State BB, Southern Utah FX
Raposo (UU): One and a half, way mistimed, forward onto her hands. Nothing coming easy for the Utes right now.
Hampton (SUU): Front double full, a smidge short but steps out fine. Switch switch half wolf full well rotated. Rudi LOSO, very sensible.
Kirkham (BYU): Toe to Maloney to bail, short on the cast handstands, double lay with a scoot back.
Jelen (SUU): Side aerial BHS, little hip shift but very minimal drama. Beat to double stag, also yanks it back in line with her arms. Switch. This is the routine of someone who really knows beam having an off day: It’s not coming easy, but she can figure it out. BHS gainer full stuck.
Zirbes (UU): One and a half, tucked down but stuck. If you’re scared out of your mind following a fall and that’s what you come up with, it could be worse.
Glazier (BYU): Blind to Jaeger, foot form and CLOSE, solid bail. Seeing feet throughout here. Double lay, hop forward.
Fernandez (SUU): Magnetic from the jump. Double back, handled well and hangs out in the lunge for a moment to let us know she’s got it. Switch half wolf 3/2, just about gets it around. One and a half front lay, not a ton of rise but a great landing.
Smith (UU): OMELIANCHIK STUCK. Absolutely unquestionable, immaculate in the air. I’d take a ten on that. The rare vault that actually looks better in slow-mo. 9.95.
Valdez (USU): BHS LOSO, little adjustment, full turn. Switch switch half, not sure if she had the split there. Double full, hop back.
Silva (BYU): Blind Jaeger, borderline handstands, Pak switch kip is nice. FTDB is stunning in the air, big air, little hop in place. Looked mildly surprised that that was as good as it was.
Neff (UU): Gotta drop a fall but this kid has game. One and a half, as clean in the air as ever, baby hop forward.
Hall (SUU): DOUBLE FULL STUCK? Okay let’s go. Lots of energy on this one but knows how to slow down too, precocious performance quality. Leotard came unclipped?? Rudi LOSO, long lunge but no shenanigans. Love it. Clips the leotard back up running off. Actually tried and failed to do that.
Jorgensen (BYU): Arch on the first handstand, Ray with feet, missed the second cast, toe to bail. Double lay stuck dead.
Orengo (USU): Kickover front BHS, full turn with adjustment. Switch split is fine. One and a half stuck.
Alvarado (BYU): Maloney to bail, DLO over with a big hop back.
Martinez (SUU): Rudi LOSO nailed, big smile. Knows how to own the stage on this one. Switch Ferrari, not the best position there. Front full front lay, not the most juice and makes it work but has to step back. I’d love her to get her gaze a little higher on this dance to present even better, she’s got all the pieces otherwise.
After 3: Utah 147.675, Utah State 146.825, BYU 146.725, SUU 146.625
Sooo close here outside of Utah! Great Utah vault rotation there, what the Utes needed to pull away from the pack.
Rotation 4: Southern Utah VT, Utah BB, BYU BB, Utah State FX
Hampton (SUU): FTY, solid sensible and STUCK DEAD. There’s a little bit of pike down but at a certain point who cares?
Sonnenberg (BYU): BHS LOSO, thinks about wobbling and elects not to. Beat straddle quarter leg up and falls. Side aerial, adjustment. BHS gainer full dead on.
Smith (UU): Pak, borderline over on the low bar cast but hangs on, toe van Leeuwen fine, pike half dismount is short with low chest and several arm swings to try to hang on but hops.
Peterson (USU): Double back, borderline short with a step forward-ish. Switch side Popa, front lay Rudi double stag is solid.
Smith (BYU): BHS LOSO fine, cat leap side aerial also solid. Doesn’t look scared. Split split 3/4. Gainer full off the side, stuck a bit squatty.
Ryssman (UU): Can be spectacular if she’s mentally game for it. Blind pike Jaeger, lovely, Pak easy, breathing through it just fine. Handstands effortless. Double lay stuck. Forget that she’s a freshman, it doesn’t matter.
Jorgensen (BYU): BHS BHS LOSO, looks easy. Full turn, check. (That’s so classic for this sport.) Beat straddle half, solid. One and a half, hop. They’ve just gotta stay on right now and she was fine.
Padurariu (UU): Toe Maloney bail, easy and clean. Handstands are easy for her. Toe pike half, chest a bit low but yanks it up and sticks. Veteran behavior. Makenna Smith is 😮 on the sidelines.
Yelle (USU): Front double full, quick step. The Utah State freshmen have been so sharp today, this is a tough debut meet mentally but they look game for it. One and a half front lay, no drama.
Randolph (SUU): FTY, high and clean, hop back. Also has a celebration dance rehearsed.
Gruber (USU): Two and a half, slightly big lunge. Switch half straddle… I think? One and a half front full, strong and clean.
Zirbes (UU): Blind Jaeger overshoot, high and clean, can’t find fault with that. FTDB stuck in place. Are the Utes finally online?? 9.95
Hoke (BYU): BHS LOSO, overshot and leaning back but hangs on. Split straddle half. Side aerial, off line on TV but she acts like it’s not happening. One and a half twist, baby hop forward. That’s a brave beam set.
Stroud (UU): Gut check for the freshman after three really great scores. Ray to Pak, nice, borderline cast handstand on high, double lay drilled. Okay, she’s brave.
Andersen-Broekman (BYU): BHS LOSO bold and confident. Beat straddle half, a little off to my eye but there’s no check. Full turn. Cat leap side aerial, adjust. BHS gainer full stuck. What lead off fall? We can forget that.
Neff (UU): Look at the national season high on bars here. This team has been great. Clear hip to Jaeger to overshoot, stunning, feet glued and I don’t say that lightly. FTDLO STUCK OH WOW. Best bars rotation of the season!! 49.625
Vater (USU): Front double full. Switch switch side… idk how many. We’re all trying our best here. One and a half front lay, very solid.
FINAL: Utah 197.300, Utah State 195.800, BYU 195.725, Southern Utah 195.725
VT: Makenna Smith (UU) 9.950
UB: Ella Zirbes (UU) 9.950
BB: Abbi Ryssman (UU) 9.900
FX: Ella Zirbes (UU) 9.925
AA: Makenna Smith (UU) 39.475
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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