Good afternoon gymnastics fans! Despite the fact that the Gators are not in this session, I will still be liveblogging session one of SEC Championships today so that we can all have a baseline understanding for what to expect this evening, what marks the Gators have to beat, and anything newsworthy from this first session.
The first newsworthy item already happened earlier this week – the Georgia Gymdogs have had to withdraw from the conference championship, due to COVID protocols and positive tests within the program, according to a release from the program.
Without the Gymdogs in play, this session is not likely to have many major upset possibilities. The few exceptions are Auburn’s Derrian Gobourne, who can absolutely contend for the AA title, particularly if Florida’s Trinity Thomas is out of the picture due to recovering from her injury a few weeks ago. She could also set a high mark to beat for both vault and floor. Kentucky has a few high-scoring individuals – Josie Angeny and Raena Worley are both likely to compete all-around and can go 9.9+ on any event – and Missouri has Sienna Schreiber as their best hope for an individual title.
All that said, it is SEC Championships, and anything can happen, so tune in to SEC Network or keep this liveblog open in one of your many tabs throughout the afternoon, and we’ll have every routine play by play for you. For this session, I’ll just be watching the broadcast, but I hope tonight to have the event feeds up on my computer as well to make sure we get all the Gator routines to you.
It all starts at 3:30pm ET, don’t miss it! We’ll be here with you every minute.
For your pre-meet enjoyment, I present: Megan Skaggs, mic’d up.
Adding yet another honor to the team’s long list this year, Leah Clapper was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Florida’s first since McMurtry in 2018.
In other NCAA gymnastics news, Oklahoma is having to count a 9.65 on floor, opening the door WIDE for Denver to win their first Big 12 championship title. Rutgers also won Session One of the Big 10 Championships, what an enormous win for that up and coming program!
3:31pm: Former LSU head coach and absolute legend D-D Breaux voiceover to kick off the broadcast. Love it. Reminding us that this is the 40th anniversary of the SEC Championship meet. It’s been 728 days since the last championship meet though – let’s freaking go.
Each team is honoring a gymnast in their program’s history in celebration of Women’s History Month! That’s awesome. Auburn chooses Caitlin Atkinson, their most decorated gymnast of all time and 2016 SEC Gymnast of the Year.
3:36pm: Bunn, UK VT: solid FTY
Leadoff for Auburn bars hits, some loose handstands
Schriber, Miz FX: Front full to front lay to stag, very nice. Rudi to back tuck to front tuck? Kathy says it was supposed to be a layout, so that may be a start value issue for her.
3:38pm: Magnelli, VT: handspring pike half, biiig hop back and off kilter as well.
P Smith, UB: Maloney to pak are both lovely, legs nice and together. Good last handstands. DLO is a little slow, a little deep in the knee bend and hop forward on the landing.
Worley, VT: Y1.5! Little slide back.
Marshall, FX: Front tuck through to double pike, good control there. Lovely shape throughout her choreo and dance elements, her calypso turn is gorgeous. Teammate screaming at her from the sideline isn’t wearing a mask?? Oof. Double tuck to finish, solid as well. Good start continues for them.
3:42pm: Angeny, VT: FTY, lovely stretched position, just a little slide on the landing. Very nice.
Nixon, VT: FTY, BIG height and gorgeous body position, just too much power and takes a bounce back. 5 feet at the hips over the table, which is already nearly four feet high – just crazy height.
Gottula, FX: Double pike to open. Great splits in those dance elements. Front half to Rudi, second element went even higher, always appreciate that. Double tuck to finish, good control if a little underrotated?
Patterson, VT: handspring pike half, little scoot back. Great amplitude though.
3:46pm: Stevens, UB: Ray is nice, maybe not as aggressive as she can be. Next handstand a little shy, bail is fine. Last handstand also short. DLO stuck! Great way to end that routine.
Brusch, UB: Great first handstands. Maloney to bail is solid, good leg form. Last handstand maybe a little shy? DLO goes so hiiiigh, little slide back.
Sheremeta, FX: Front double full I think, steps OOB. Rudi to loso, not as much amplitude as I’d like out of her. Sheep jump to prone? That’s cool. Fun back spin in the choreo there, very cool. Back 1.5 to front layout stepout, what a unique skillset! I love watching her compete, I’m glad she’s found a new home here.
3:49pm: Gobourne, UB: Tkachev great, saved that pak somehow?? Wow. Half in half out is STUCK! What a warrior! So impressive to be able to save that.
McCrary, FX: Front lay to Rudi, very nice. Double pike, good control there as well. Lots of jumps to prone in this lineup. Great straddles in her dance series.
3:53pm: Either Missouri scratched their sixth floor routine or my broadcast just glitched?? Okay, yes, they’ve scratched Schaeffer. She’s crying on the sideline? I am concerned.
AFTER ONE: UK 49.2, MIZ 49.0, AUB 48.975
4:02pm: Kentucky bars leadoff hits, missed who it was. Miz vault too, was Schaeffer so she’s not injured…
Oldham, BB: Just lovely work here from her, sorry was dealing with some Missouri drama on Twitter. Roundoff 1.5 twist, hop and off to the side.
Miz VT: FTY, hop on the landing.
Bunn, UB: A little funky legs in some of her work, including the dismount, but another decent hit for the Cats.
McCrary, VT: FTY, a little pike in the landing and a small hop.
4:0pm: Gobourne, BB: Glad she’s doing AA tonight, thanks Graba. Series has a little bobble but she keeps it small. Leap series is great, gorgeous position in the switch side. Stuck dismount!!
Nixon, UB: Only showed her dismount but it was a good one!
Marshall, VT: FTY, great amplitude, little tiny hop back.
4:08pm: Luksik, UB: Good first handstand. Ray is lovely. Almost goes over on the next handstand but saves it, whew. Bail is good. DLO almost in place and sticks! Nice!
Watson, BB: Bhs loso, so steady. Cat leap side aerial, very nice. Switch to split 1/4, slooow on the connection, we’ll see if they give that to her. Roundoff 1.5 stuck? Good for her!
Schreiber goes 9.85 on vault.
Angeny, UB: Jaeger is nice, a little toes. Bail is good. FTDLO dismount! The most difficult dismount being performed in NCAA right now, wow. You love to see it.
4:13pm: Sylvia, BB: Auburn’s honoree for the SEC Community Service Team – fostered over 20 animals during the pandemic! Precious!!
Gorgeous opening choreo showing that flexibility. Full turn is gorgeous. Front aerial bhs bhs, still unclear as to how that’s a real series but that’s just me. Switch to sheep, not really a great sheep but not the worst? Korbut, landed a little hard from what I could tell. Cartwheel gainer full is stuck!
4:15pm: Worley, UB: Gorgeous handstand work. Release is good. Stuck full out dismount! Wow! Kentucky should keep their lead with that.
McLaughlin, BB: Lovely series. Switch to straddle 1/4, good positions in the air there. Full turn is steady. Side aerial, leg comes up and misses the connection to the split jump. Gainer pike is stuck! A good recovery.
4:19pm: Stevens, BB: Bhs loso, mushy knees but judges won’t take it. Beat to switch ring, back leg does not make that ring position legitimate. Gainer front toss to knee, named after her in the JO code. Roundoff 1.5 stuck! A good finish to the rotation for Auburn.
AFTER TWO: UK 98.4, AUB 98.025, MIZ 97.875
Halfway through this first rotation, Kentucky’s Ariana Patterson’s 9.9 leads vault, teammate Raena Worley leads bars with the same score, Auburn’s Cassie Stevens leads beam with a 9.9 of her own, and Missouri’s Gottula and McCrary lead floor with a pair of 9.825s.
For their Women’s History Month tributes, Georgia honored Courtney Kupets Carter, record holding gymnast and current coach of the program, and Kentucky honored Leah Little, the team’s first coach and program founder.
Re: those other NCAA championship stories – Denver won its first ever Big 12 title! And star athlete Lynnzee Brown earned a 10.0 on bars!
4:31pm: Can’t see who it is for Kentucky on beam, but nailed her series on front aerial. Felt a little shy on the straddle 1/2 in her leap series, but she nails her side aerial back full! Oh, it was Albores.
Oldham, FX: Love seeing her make this lineup! First pass was a hit. Double tuck and she crashes it, oof. She looks like her ankles sting a little as she walks off. Ouch.
First Miz bars athlete hit it looked like, but there’s a scoring delay for some reason…
4:34pm: Magnelli, BB: Straddle was maybe a little shy on the switch side. Hit series. Roundoff 1.5 little slide back.
Sabados, FX: Front double full is gorgeous! Love how expressive her choreo is in here. Shushunova, lovely. 1.5 to front lay, takes it all the way to the line but keeps it in and under control. Very nice.
Sheremeta, UB: Great opening handstands. Jaeger is SO high, gorgeous. Bail had a little leg sep but she snapped it back before moving on. Little short on the last handstand. “Old school” dismount as Bart calls it, a Rudi off the bars, excellent.
4:38pm: DeGuzman, BB: Good to finally see her! Bhs loso is so floaty, little break at the hips but brings it back. Front aerial is great. Switch to sheep, much better than anyone else’s I’ve seen this season, actually keeps her toe point. Roundoff 1.5, little scoot back. A great debut!
Brusch, FX: Front through to double tuck, solid. Good to see her back after a shoulder subluxation earlier this season. Double tuck to finish, front foot moves a little but overall a hit for her as well. Auburn needs to hit the rest of these to drop Oldman’s score.
Patrick, UB: Jaeger is gorgeous. Bail a little shy. A little short on the last handstand. DLO is stuck!
4:41pm: Bunn, BB: Bhs loso loso, yes! Leap series is lovely. Roundoff double full, little slide back. Good for her!
Marshall, UB: Great opening handstands. Gorgeous amplitude on the Jaeger direct to overshoot. HUGE full in dismount, stuck! Wow.
Steven, FX: Opening pass is solid. Switch ring is better here, to switch half, good. Double tuck to finish, nice! She is having herself a night.
Worley, BB: Cat leap to switch side, solid. Front aerial to bhs loso, gorgeous. Roundoff 1.5, little hop forward.
Schreiber, UB: Release is good, bail fine. DLO little hop back.
4:45pm: Watson, FX: Sticking to the double pike for now, it’s a good one. Leap series is good. Combo pass is solid, good control out. Double tuck to close, control is steady there too! Love seeing her nail that.
Hufendiek, UB: A little slow rotation on the Jaeger but catches fine. Bail is good. Last handstand is solid. Stuck her dismount I think? Nice!
Angeny, BB: Bhs loso loso, uses the ENTIRE length of the beam and it’s so solid. Front aerial, little hesitation but barely shows it. Beat to straddle 1/4, good. Chin stand, that’s fun. Full turn is steady. Side aerial back tuck full stuck! That was a great rotation for them. They cut to her dad who’s wearing a shirt COVERED in her face, he’s so thrilled.
4:50pm: Gobourne, FX: Here we go! Just the double tuck this week, a little slide but it’s sooo high I almost don’t care. Really playing it up in this choreo section, love it. Front full front lay, poses right out of it. Hold that crown high! She’s such a star. Double pike to finish, she was a little underrotated but she just popped it into the lunge and masked it super well. That should be a great score, wow.
AFTER THREE: UK 147.575, AUB 147.375, MIZ 146.85
Some background on this – former Kentucky gymnast Mollie Korth’s dad always wore her face on his clothes at every meet he went to and was famous for ending up on SECN broadcasts to embarrass his daughter!
Missouri honors Sarah Shire (now Brown) as its Women’s History Month honoree – led Mizzou to a nationals appearance in her time, where she was individual runner-up on floor exercise. She still holds several records for the program, and is now the head coach at Penn State!
Also, for those watching the all-around race, Worley leads right now with two 9.85s and a 9.9. Teammate Bunn and Auburn’s Stevens aren’t far behind.
5:00pm: Gottula with a balance break early on BB for Miz.
Kentucky’s Albores hits first pass, a little short on her front lay in her second pass but pulls it out. Pretty positions in her dance series. Double pike was a little overcooked and maybe OOB? Hard to see on the 8incher.
P Smith, Aub VT: FTY, not a lot of distance but she kinda stuck it?? Get it!
5:02pm: Sabados, VT: FTY, a little knees in the air, hop back.
DeGuzman, FX: Another debut for her! Front double full to open, looked a little crooked in the air but pulled it out. Lovely switch ring to switch full, wow. 1.5 to front lay, big open mouth smile when she lands, she’s so thrilled. Rudi is a little low but she pulls it around. That’s going to be a great routine soon.
Watson, VT: Y1.5, little slide forward!
Schaffer, BB: She’s the one they scratched from floor, glad to see she’s okay. Bhs loso loso, very nice. Switch to split, nice positions there. Roundoff 1.5, little hop in place.
Gobourne, VT: Y1.5, overdid it a little and had to lunge forward.
5:06pm: Bunn, FX: Double pike – two foot stick!! Wow! Switch half to wolf full it looked like, both positions good. Back 1.5 to front pike, very nice. Rudi to finish, very well controlled. This should be a great score, good for her!
Commentator Kathy Johnson Clarke reiterating that other things besides landings should matter! Yes!
Stevens, VT: Just the FTY, big hop back with another step or two… never did really come to a stop when she saluted? Might be the score they drop.
5:09pm: Haigis, FX: Rudi to loso, great dynamics there. Straddle positions in her dance series are great. Double pike, great control there. She’s so thrilled with herself, you love to see that pure joy.
Marshall, BB: Front toss, basically finishes it standing straight up, love it. Front aerial bhs bhs, hate that series but she performs it fine. Full turn is good. Split to split 1/4, a little off angle there but hit 180 fine. Little stutter step on the dismount.
5:12pm: Angeny, FX: Double pike to open, a little short but pops it into the lunge quickly. Dance series is good. 1.5 to front lay, a little whippy but lands it fine. Double tuck to finish, cowboys it and it’s also short, more noticeably so this time.
Sheremeta, BB: Bhs loso, lovely. Split to ring, solid positions on those. Front aerial, super steady. Front toss, also good – wonder why she does both of those? Full turn, nice. Gainer pike, little step back to steady herself.
5:15pm: Worley, FX: Full in, chest a little low, just brings her feet together. Dance series positions were fine. Front full front lay, gorgeous body positions in those elements and good control. Double tuck to close, much better there. A great finish for Kentucky!
Schreiber, BB: Full turn, good start. Bhs loso loso, so solid. Switch half to split to beat, maybe a little shy on the back leg in the split jump. Straight to a gainer full! Stuck!
FINAL AFTER SESSION ONE: UK 196.825, AUB 196.275, MIZ 196.125
Leaders for each event after this first session are as follows:
VT: Patterson, UK: 9.9
UB: Worley, UK: 9.9
BB: Schreiber, Miz: 9.925
FX: Haigis, UK: 9.925
AA: Worley, UK: 39.5
Overall, I’m really excited to see what tonight holds. I think scoring is much more in control, at least for now, than regular season was, and I think in general it was pretty accurate in terms of rankings. I expect the battle to stay between Florida and LSU, but it is SECs – anything can happen.
My liveblog for session two will be a separate article, so head here to keep up with all that action. Hope to see y’all then!
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