The final meet of the regular season has arrived! Florida will take on the Crimson Tide tonight as it battles to claim the SEC regular season title outright and to notch a second consecutive undefeated regular season. It’s Alabama’s senior night in Tuscaloosa, so expect scores to fly high, but if anyone can pull off the win in Tide country, it’s this Gator team.
The Gators are ranked No. 1 in the nation on every single event and all around, and they have at least two individuals in the top 10 on every event as well. Super star Trinity Thomas is ranked No. 1 in the all-around, to no surprise. She’s also No. 3 on vault, No. 1 on bars and floor, and No. 4 on beam, and she’s joined by Savannah Schoenherr on vault (No. 8), Megan Skaggs on bars (No. 9), Ellie Lazzari (No. 3) and Alyssa Baumann (No. 10) on beam, and Nya Reed (No. 4) on floor. And if having six individuals with top ten rankings isn’t enough to prove this team’s dominance, how about a seventh just outside? Leah Clapper is No. 11 on beam as well – this team is top-notch.
But Alabama has been quietly cruising this season. Though they had their share of controversy over the summer, with allegations of racist behavior from the coaching staff and calls for head coach Dana Duckworth’s firing, the Crimson Tide have performed well this season. Ranked No. 7 on vault, No. 4 on bars and beam, and No. 10 on floor, the Tide rank No. 6 overall in the nation and have several individuals with strong showings as well. Sophomore Luisa Blanco is No. 4 in the nation in the all-around, with her NQS less than two tenths behind Thomas. She’s also tied for No. 4 on beam with Thomas, while classmate Makarri Doggette ranks No. 7 on bars and senior Lexi Graber holds the No. 8 slot on floor.
While statistically Florida has the advantage, anything can happen! It all starts in just a few minutes on SECN+ or the alternate SECN channel if you get it, but if you can’t tune in or go in person, you can follow along with us as we bring you every routine moment by moment.
8:34pm: Still have the stand by screen on SECN+. Wonder if Thomas’s injury is the holdup, they’ll have to change lineups really quickly.
8:35pm: Aha! Meet is on now. Showing footage of Thomas’s injury now… looks like came in really short on a bars dismount but she fell smart and doesn’t look like a major injury, since she’s up and walking on her own power.
8:36pm: Rotation one!
Adams, VT: FTY, a little loose in the air at the end, little hop back.
Richards, UB: big leg sep on Maloney. Bail is good. Last handstand looks okay? DLO, step forward on the landing.
8:38pm: Olsen, VT: DTY, comes in a little short and has to hop forward, chest down too. She’s cleaned up her legs a bit this year though!
Gallentine, UB: Great opening handstands, Maloney to pak is lovely. DLO, a little mushy knees, hop back. She’s getting some confidence back, love it.
8:40pm: Waligora, VT: Y1.5, pretty clean in the air! A little off to the side, crossover step forward.
Lazzari, UB: Great opening handstand! Tkachev is gorgeous. Pak just floats, glued those legs together. Last handstand had a little pike? Half in half out, little hop. She is THRIVING and I love to see it!
8:42pm: Blanco, VT: Y1.5, soooo pretty in the air. Stuck?? Looked stuck to me, maybe a little less control than I’d like but better than some “sticks.”
Skaggs, UB: Tkachev to pak, gorgeous. Good last handstand. DLO, little slide back.
8:44pm: Graber, VT: Y1.5, WOW! Huge distance, step forward. Pretty clean in the air too. \
Baumann, UB: From the commentary, it sounds like she was in the lineup tonight regardless of Thomas’s injury? And that Gallentine was the sub in. Jaeger is gorgeous, great amplitude. Next handstand a bit shy. Bail is good. DLO pinged off early and she takes it to her knees, hands down. Bummer for her, hopefully Schoenherr can pull it back.
8:46pm: Quinn, VT: Y1.5, really floaty, little hop on the landing. She’s patient with it, I like it.
Schoenherr, UB: Great first handstands, so aggressive. Jaeger just flooooats. Bail is solid. Great last handstand too! Double front half out! Chest up, looked like a little bounce in place? Maybe? I’m expecting that to be a great score for her though.
AFTER ONE: BAMA 49.3, UF 49.075
Baumann’s fall cost Florida a little bit, but they may be able to make it back up on vault if things go well.
8:56pm: Rotation two!
Foberg, VT: FTY, wow! Easily her best in a long time, so clean in the air, good height, and just a little hop in place on the landing.
Waligora, UB: Great first handstands. Jaeger, lost her swing there, has to recast to get to the bail. Not a great start for Bama. FTDLO dismount, little stutter step.
8:58pm: Lazzari, VT: FTY, STUCK! YES! That should be an excellent score!
Graber, UB: Gonna have to reset here. First handstand looked a little shy? Gienger, little leg sep on the catch. Bail is solid. GOod last handstands. Full in, tries to fake the stick but didn’t have control on the salute, takes a step out.
9:00pm: Skaggs, VT: FTY, weird leg sep in there for her. But she sticks it?? Yes she does!
Machado, UB: Maloney is okay, pak has a big leg sep, oof. Van Leeuwen looks good. Blind full to double tuck, little one foot slide?
9:02pm: Schoenherr, VT: Y1.5, it’s a big one! Little knees in the air. Hop forward, not great control when she salutes either.
Adams, UB: Great first handstand. Maloney and pak have her legs just glued together, van Leeuwen too! Wow, those are pretty! Blind full to double tuck dismount, looked stuck to me!
9:03pm: Reed, VT: Y1.5, gorgeous stretched position! Little hop forward on the landing. One of her better ones!
Blanco, UB: Great first handstand. Maloney and pak are just textbook. Lovely. Great final handstands. Full in is really high, little foot shuffle it looked like? Slow mo looks closer to a stick than in real time
9:05pm: Richards, VT: Just the FTY this week, little hop in place. Not the best way to close it out.
Doggette, UB: Tkachev to pak is huge! Has to recast on the low bar for some reason? Ahh, didn’t get up to handstand and had to try again. DLO is great. Alabama will have to count a miss! Oof.
AFTER TWO: BAMA 98.625, UF 98.475
Somehow Florida is still more than a tenth behind… but considering it’s the number one floor team in the country, I have every confidence that that gap will continue to close. Blanco will take the vault and bars titles. She also leads in the all-around, but Skaggs is behind her by less than a tenth.
Between rotations, commentator Kathy Johnson Clarke spoke to Thomas in a prerecorded interview. Thomas revealed that she and teammate Halley Taylor are working on a children’s book for young Gator fans! How cute!
9:13pm: Klopfer, BB: Single wolf turn, smooth, foot is flexed though? Front aerial to bhs, I guess that’s connected but I hate front to back series. Leap series is lovely. Cat leap to side aerial, super steady. She’s really grown into a gorgeous beamer over the years. Roundoff 1.5 hop forward.
9:15pm: Skaggs, FX: Love seeing her lead off in this rotation. Double wolf turn is nice and smooth. Rudi to split jump, travels a little in the air. Great split positions in her dance series. 1.5 to front lay to finish. Super clean, just lovely.
9:17pm: Waligora, BB: Full turn, excellent. Bhs loso, looked like she hesitated a little but landing doesn’t show it at all. Side aerial, great. Split to tuck jump full, check there. Roundoff 1.5, has to step back. Nerves getting to her.
9:19pm: Lazzari, FX: Bringing the drama and elegance in this opening, just gorgeous. Double pike to open, little bouncy on the landing. 1.5 to front lay to stag, lovely there. Dance series is great, maybe a little traveling? Double tuck to close, much better control. That should be another good one.
9:21pm: Adams, BB: Switch to front aerial, very nice. Bhs loso and she’s off! Oh boy. Door open. Triple wolf turn, bobbles a little but keeps it small. Switch to beat, nice. Bhs back 1.5, stuck! A good recovery, but that fall puts pressure on them.
9:23pm: Johnson-Scharpf, FX: Great to see her back! Double arabian looks just as great as earlier this season. 1.5 to front lay, has to whip it around and steps back but saves it somehow. Leap positions are great, to Shushunova, just loving the drama of this. Double tuck to finish, attacked it and came up strong! Well done.
9:25pm: Graber, BB: Bhs layout 2ft, so solid! I honestly love this routine, it’s so difficulty packed and she really attacks it. Switch to straddle 3/4, takes a second to secure herself. Cat leap to front aerial to scale, just gorgeous. Gainer full, chest a little forward and maybe kept the stick? Not well controlled though.
9:26pm: Richards, FX: DLO, little underrotated, covered well. 1.5 to front lay, no issue with that one, one step out to her choreo. A little crooked on her dance series and a lil outta control. Double tuck to close, great control there and height too!
9:28pm: Doggette, BB: Full turn to start is good. Bhs loso, steady. A little Single Ladies choreo in here, fun! Beat to switch half to another beat… I don’t buy that switch half angle personally but okay. Side aerial back full stuck!
9:30pm: Reed, FX: Here we gooo! DLO, SO well controlled, front foot doesn’t move an inch. Front lay to Rudi, great. Leap series was good, maybe saw her cringe on the wolf jump? Hope that’s just me seeing things. Double pike to close, she’s smiling already, YES she lands that so well. That should be a phenomenal score.
9:32pm: Blanco, BB: What an elegant back roll there to mount. Front aerial is great. Full turn, good. Bhs loso loso, legs wobbled but she doesn’t show it at all. Needle scale is gorgeous, what toe point!! Switch to beat, strong. Roundoff double full stuck! That should be a great score as well. Bama will get to drop their fall.
9:34pm: Baumann, FX: Double tuck to open is soooo high, great control too. 1.5 to front full, single step out into the choreo great. Leap series is GORGEOUS, just drool worthy. Double pike, just pops it into that lunge. That should be HUGE.
AFTER THREE: UF 148.0, ALA 147.95
Florida takes the lead with one to go!
Baumann leads on the floor with a huge 9.975, while Blanco has the mark to beat on beam with a 9.925.
9:43pm: Richards, BB: Full turn, little bounce but keeps control of it. Bhs loso loso, little lean but doesn’t bobble really. Leap series is good. Side aerial back full, stuck! A good start.
9:45pm: Mitchell, FX: Double pike to open is SUPER high, a little scoot though. Switch to two wolf jump fulls I believe, that’s different. Hits the whoa in the corner, that’s fun. Front through to double tuck, VERY deep on the landing but pulls it out somehow? Crazy. Good for her for saving that.
9:47pm: Skaggs, BB: Wolf turn, lovely. Switch to split, back leg is hard to see from this angle but looked good to me. Bhs loso, solid. Front aerial, waits to settle in. Cat leap switch side, gorgeous. Side aerial back full, stuck! Another great one for Skaggs.
9:49pm: Gaskins, FX: DLO, takes it riiiight to the line but I didn’t see a flag. Y turn to wolf full, wow! That’s some difficulty. Switch to switch half, great split positions. Front through to double tuck, short there. Fun country choreo into a series of pique turns, really showing off her dance training. That’s a fun one!
9:51pm: Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, gorgeous. Switch to split, great positions. Full turn is solid. Side aerial back full, little slide back. Won’t be a 10 but it is COMING, I can feel it (and so can HC Jenny Rowland – she said so in press earlier this week!)
9:52pm: Olsen, FX: Double double, really low and kinda crunchy on the ankles. That used to be a lot prettier, what happened? Switch through to tour jete half and split full I believe, looked nice to me but not Kathy’s favorite, ha. Front through to double tuck, looked a little short there too but masked it much better.
9:54pm: Baumann, BB: Bhs loso, so steady. Switch to split, gorgeous extension. Front aerial, floaty and elegant. Full turn is great. Switch half looked good this week, maybe not as good as last week. Roundoff 1.5, single step back. Another great one for the Gators!
9:56pm: Klopfer, FX: Love her getting the call on her senior night! Double tuck to open, great control, good amplitude. Dance series looked good, maybe some flexed foot in the first split. Combo pass is great, well controlled out of it. Fun choreo with her team on the sideline there, love that! Double pike to close, and she’s so pumped as she finishes. Happy for her.
9:58pm: Clapper, BB: Bhs loso loso, gorgeous. She’s just dancing her way through this routine, love it. Switch to split, maybe a little tight in those positions. Side aerial back full, maybe stuck? She’s become such a staple here, so proud of her.
10:00pm: Blanco, FX: Double pike, sooo high but a little slide back of the front foot. Switch ring is gorgeous, rest of the dance positions are lovely too. Double tuck is great as well, better control there. Front full to front lay, a little whippy but should be a good score overall.
10:02pm: Schoenherr, BB: Schoenherr on beam!!! Ahh! Front aerial, gorgeous. Bhs loso, so solid. Good for her! Full turn, interesting technique but it’s steady and elegant. Split to split 3/4, good positions. Roundoff 1.5, small hop. They’re all so excited for her!!
10:04pm: Graber, FX: This should be a treat, y’all. Full in, gets such great amplitude. Looked like a little stumble between dance elements but she covered well if it was and quickly kept going. Front through to double pike, great there too. What a great final performance for her at home!
FINAL: UF 197.425, BAMA 197.225
Florida will take the win!
Blanco also nabs a share of the beam title, tying with Skaggs with a 9.925. And Baumann and Graber tie for 9.975 for the floor title. Blanco also takes the AA title with a massive 39.7!
Florida is once again undefeated in the regular season! And the Gators win their second consecutive SEC regular season title outright. What a dominant season this team is having – and it continues in two weeks back in Alabama, this time in Huntsville for the SEC Championships. Join us back here then for the beginning of postseason – until then, make sure you’re following @chomptalk on Twitter and me, @mycluttereddesk, and go Gators!
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