It’s the Gators’ turn to take on the SEC as we roll into session two of the conference championship meet. If you missed session one, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Click here to catch up on all the action from my session one liveblog – if you don’t have time, though, let me give you the TL;DR:
FINAL SCORES 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
Georgia is out of the competition due to COVID-19 cases within the program, per a release earlier this week.
This session is more competitive in terms of titles – Florida is certainly the favorite, but LSU and Alabama have both come close to beating the Gators this season, and Arkansas has been on a consistent rise throughout the season. On the individual side, if Thomas is out of the all-around, it’s really anyone’s game. Four athletes – Alabama’s Luisa Blanco, Arkansas’s Kennedy Hambrick, LSU’s Haleigh Bryant, and Florida’s Megan Skaggs – all rank in the top ten, between No. 1 Thomas and No. 12 Worley, who leads after session one. Florida’s Payton Richards and Arkansas’s Sarah Shaffer also both rank in the top 50 nationally.
On individual events, we know Florida’s contenders by now – Thomas, Skaggs, Nya Reed, Savannah Schoenherr, Ellie Lazzari, Alyssa Baumann, and Leah Clapper are all capable of 9.95s or better on at least one event each. As far as their competitors, Bryant, Hambrick, and LSU’s Kiya Johnson are also all strong contenders on vault and floor, while Arkansas’s Maggie O’Hara, LSU’s Alyona Shchennikova and Sami Durante, and Alabama’s Blanco and Makarri Doggette all rank in the top 20 nationally on bars. Blanco and Hambrick also have a shot on beam, though Florida may have a lock on that title, considering they’re the No. 1 beam team in the nation, and floor might also see Alabama’s Lexi Graber or Arkansas’s Sophia Carter have a shot at the title.
All this to say – it’s going to be a fight to the finish. Every single routine will matter. And the slate from the season is wiped clean – only this meet counts for the trophy tonight, nothing else. The Gators are going to have to be at their absolute best if they want to win this.
8:00pm: We are switching to gymnastics here in just a moment, according to the softball commentators. In other NCAA gym news, the Big 10 Championships race is extremely tight, with only .55 between the top 3 teams and Michigan going on a stick streak on vault to try and take back the lead from Minnesota, and Iowa is under major pressure as it’s in second after three rotations, but the leadoff beam performer had a fall. I’ll keep up with that drama via Twitter as we get underway in Huntsville once more.
And we’re replaying Thomas’s injury from two weeks ago. Commentator Kathy Johnson Clarke confirms we’ll see Thomas in bars, at the very least, so that’s an encouraging progression.
We’re continuing the trend from the first session as each team is honoring someone in their history for Women’s History Month. Florida chooses Ann Woods Smith, their first national champion back in the AIAW days!
8:06pm: Here we goooo!
Foberg, VT: FTY, one of the cleanest she’s done this season, little hop on the landing.
Johnson hits bars for LSU with a gorgeous DLO dismount that looked stuck to me.
Gianfagna, BB: Cat leap to front toss, solid. Beat to straddle 1/2, maybe a little shy of 180? Roundoff 1.5 shuffle forward.
8:08pm: Lazzari, VT: FTY, clean in the air, a little underrotated, went too hard for the stick and had to hop forward.
Brock, UB: Great first handstand. Tkachev had some flexed feet but good air. Flexed feet in the bail too. Great last handstand. Full out, hop forward.
Skaggs, VT: FTY, just the teeniest hop back. Just gorgeous dynamics and clean in the air.
8:10pm: Lovett, BB: Switch to split, a little feet on the split jump. Front aerial to loso, break at the hips but saves it. Side aerial back full, way off to the side and a hop forward. Not the greatest showing.
Schoenherr, VT: Y1.5, little hop forward! One of her great ones.
Dunne, UB: Great first handstand. Tkachev straight to pak, lovely. DLO, stuck! Last handstand was maybe a little shy though.
Reed, VT: Y1.5, SOOO far, just a little hop forward. One of her best! Tonight’s the night to do it, girl, way to go!
Bryant, UB: Great release. Bail is excellent. Shy on the last handstand. Double front, big lunge forward.
Gaskins going on floor for Bama but we’re not seeing it.
8:14pm: Richards, VT: Y1.5 and she sits it. Switching back and forth between the full and the 1.5 is not working for her, they need to pick one and stick with it so she knows how hard to block and has it in her muscle memory.
Shchennikova, UB: Tkachev to pak, gorgeous. Holds her handstand half on the low bar, almost went over the wrong way. DLO is sooo high tonight, that’s gotten so much better, and she sticks!
Shaffer, BB: Switch to split 1/4, gorgeous. Bhs loso, steady. Front aerial, break at the hips. There’s that headcase I know. Full turn, getting it back. Cat leap to side aerial to back full, stuck.
Durante, UB: Jaeger just FLIES, a little leg sep on the pak but she plays it off. Great last handstand. Full in stuck! Good for her, what a fight.
Blanco, FX: Finally seeing some Bama here. Double pike to open, great control there. Double tuck second pass, greats great height but keeps the landing under control. Front full to front lay, dances right into an arabesque. She looked like she was almost reserved in some of the dance but she’s so hype afterward – I would love to see more of that energy!
8:19pm: Carter, BB: Series is lovely. Beat to ring stag, gorgeous. Front aerial to sissone, great. Full turn, solid. College stick on the dismount, I don’t buy it but we’ll see if the judges do.
Graber, FX: Full in to open is BIG and well-landed. A little crooked in her wolf jump maybe? But her straddle and her chasses were just lovely. Double pike, chest a little low but finesses it.
8:22pm: Hambrick, BB: Bhs loso, and she’s off. Well, that kinda ruins Arkansas’s chances at an upset, barring disaster. Got it back for the rest of the routine, but that’ll take her out of the AA conversation and Ark will have to count the 9.7, 9.725, 9.775 that came before.
AFTER ONE: BAMA 49.45, UF 49.35, LSU 49.35, ARK 48.875
LSU of course honors D-D Breaux for its Women’s History Month tribute, the longest-standing coach in the SEC when she retired and so many, many accolades it’s impossible to list them all here.
8:32pm: Rotation 2!
Ruchards, UB: Maloney to bail are fine, maybe a little legs, hard to see in the quad box feed. DLO stuck! A great start!
Desiderio, BB: Series, little check but brings it back. Leap series solid. Cat leap gainer full stuck!
Johnston, FX: Whip half to front full, that was lovely. Good leap positions. Double pike, two foot stick! Wow! Great start for Arkansas too.
8:34pm: Olsen, Bama VT: DTY, the best she’s done that all season! Little slide back.
Lazzari, UB: A long wait for Richards’s score. Here she goes. Great first handstand. Tkachev is lovely. Great handstand work after. Pak just floats, caught close but covers well. Full in, shuffle.
Durante, BB: Bhs loso, super steady, locks those arms in. Front aerial is solid. Leap series, great. Aerial to back full stuck!
Blanco, VT: Y1.5, a little crooked in the air, some knees, but she STICKS COLD. Wow.
8:37pm: Skaggs, UB: Tkachev to immediate pak, just excellent. Great last handstand. DLO STUCK!
Graber, VT: Y1.5, little step forward but great amplitude.
Carter, FX: 1.5 front full, gorgeous. Great splits in her dance series. Double pike to close is excellent!
Quinn, VT: Y1.5, super floaty, little hop on the landing. A little off to the side too.
Schoenherr, UB: Great first handstands. Jaeger is gorgeous. Overcooks a handstand and goes over the wrong way! No! Doesn’t come off, though, swings herself back up. Bail is good. Double front dismount, doesn’t do the half out. Oof. That’s gonna hurt.
8:41pm: Dean, BB: Side aerial bhs, lifts the front foot and has a bobble. Switch to split, nice. Front aerial to beat, solid. Side aerial back full is stuck!
Baumann, UB: Gallentine out, Baumann in. Interesting. Great first handstands. Jaeger, just a beauty… and can’t cast out of it. Bail is good. DLO, hop forward. I can’t.
Johnson, BB: Bhs loso, excellent. Switch to switch half, little arm swing but she’s patient with it. Front toss is solid. Roundoff double full, maybe a lil hop in place
Lovett, FX: Gorgeous DLO! Middle pass solid. Lovely splits in those dance elements! Double back to close, a little overcooked, but masks well.
8:45pm: Thomas, UB: Maloney to uprise. Pak is gorgeous. Great low bar handstands. Van Leeuwen, so clean. DLO, just a step forward, babying her ankles.
Campbell, BB: Bhs loso, steady. Front aerial to sissone, lovely. Switch to switch half, maybe a little shy on the half. Roundoff double full, little hop.
Hambrick, FX: Double back to open, solid. Rudi to layout stag, a little bouncy. Really selling the choreo. Double pike to finish, nice.
AFTER TWO: BAMA 99.0, LSU 98.575, ARK 98.15, UF 98.075
Alabama honoring Sarah Patterson for WHM, its dynasty-building coach that won countless SEC and national titles.
Unless LSU and Alabama also have major mistakes, Florida is out of this. Counting a 9.325.
8:56pm: Pennese with a short FTY to start off for Ark on VT.
Richards, BB: Aaaaand she’s off on her series. We’re toast.
Desiderio, FX: DLO, one of her best this season. 1.5 to front lay, somehow pulls it around but has to stutter step back. Gorgeous positions on her dance series. Double back to close. A great start for the Tigers.
Johnston, VT: FTY, little momentum backwards there.
Graber, UB: Great first handstand, Gienger has some leg sep at the end but body position is nice. Short last handstand. Hop on her full in dismount.
8:59pm: Skaggs, BB: Please hit the reset button, Skaggs. Stop the bleeding. Switch to split, nice. Bhs loso, stays steady. Front aerial, little arm swing but keeps it small. Cat leap switch side, a little tight. Stuck dismount! Thank you.
Shchennikova, FX: Front double full, big lunge out but arabesques out. 1.5 to front full, better control there. Rudi to close, another great one for LSU.
Gaskins, UB: Maloney to pak, big leg sep and caught close. Short last handstand. DLO biiiig squat but stands it up.
9:01pm: Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, sooo steady. Switch to split, locks it in. Side aerial back full stuck! They needed that.
Elswick, VT: FTY, big distance, stutter step back.
Ballard, FX: DLO goes big but might have stepped out? Can’t see the line judge from this angle. Middle choreo is a little boring for me? Double pike to finish is solid.
Hambrick, VT: Y1.5, little step. A great one for her!
Doggette, UB: Hits releases and STICKS that DLO. Alabama still doing well.
Baumann, BB: Bhs loso, solid. Switch to split, lovely as always. Full turn is good. Switch half, one of her better ones. Roundoff 1.5, stuck! That’s the way you recover.
9:07pm: Edwards, FX: Front double full, great control there. Combo pass in the middle is good. Little bouncy coming out of her dance elements but makes it look intentional. Double tuck, a little short there.
Blanco, UB: Just DROPS that dismount in and sticks.
Clapper, BB: Bhs loso loso, got reallll mushy in the knees but kept going and stayed steady somehow. Side aerial back full, stuck! Keeping that stick train going.
Bryant, FX: Double front, just fantastic, one step forward. Front lay to Rudi, very good control there, she twists sooo fast. Dance series is clean. Front double full to finish, the two E elements is just insane. One of her best.
9:11pm: Schoenherr, BB: Okay, I’m kinda worried. I hope she can do this. Front aerial is solid. Series is good, stays square. Full turn. Split to split 3/4, leans forward but doesn’t swing around a lot, stays on. Roundoff 1.5… was that a stick? Maybe?
Johnson, FX: Good to see her healthy for this. Full in is HUGE and so open, just a work of art. 1.5 to front lay, takes almost a slow mo step out to show how controlled she was. Dance series is good. Really enjoying herself now, I see that performance layer kicking in now. Double pike to close, front foot slid a little but barely, lunge was well controlled. That’ll be a huge one for LSU. YUP she gets the 10.0!!
AFTER THREE: BAMA 148.425, LSU 148.15, UF 147.6, ARK 147.425
That’s the definition of all-weather fans, Julia. Gator Nation to the core.
I said the same thing, and so did my parents watching with me, ha.
Arkansas is honoring Dana McQuillin, the first Gymback to be inducted into Arkansas’s Hall of Fame and led them to their first nationals appearance.
9:24pm: Last one here we go.
Durante, VT: FTY stuck! That’s the way to start.
Clapper, FX: OOB on her double tuck, it looked like.
Klopfer, BB: I was watching Leah but Kathy said something about a possible missed connection here? Cat leap side aerial, that’s solid. Roundoff 1.5 stuck.
Shchennikova, VT: Y1.5, stepped out and then turned with another step to salute. She could’ve waited for the stick I think, but she didn’t.
9:26pm: Gianfagna, UB: Ray, and she eats mat. That stings.
Waligora, BB: Full turn, good. Got that out of the way. Bhs loso, slow but steady. Side aerial, little check. Step forward on her dismount.
Skaggs, FX: Double wolf turn is good. Rudi to split, a little wild in the air but not on the landing. Selling this choreography, this is easily my favorite of Florida’s routines this year, maybe tied with Reed. 1.5 to front lay, whippy and had to pulllll it around. Stayed on her feet though.
Johnson, VT: DTY, a little short and has to step forward.
Adams, BB: How this is the first time we’re seeing her tonight is beyond me. Front aerial is good. Bhs loso, solid. Double wolf turn, very steady, wow. Switch to split, back leg maybe a little low on the split jump. Bhs 1.5 twist, just a step back on that dismount.
9:31pm: Bryant, VT: FHS pike half, STICKS IT! LSU might actually pull this off for a four-peat.
Graber, BB: Full turn to start, good. Bhs layout 2ft (or back pike? Idk if she’s getting credit for the layout) is okay, little check. Switch to straddle 3/4, that’s the nicest I’ve seen that 3/4 leap from her. Cat leap to front aerial to scale, to gainer full stuck.
Lazzari going on floor now, but we can’t see it. Love that.
I believe Alabama needs two 9.9s to count in order to tie LSU with the Tigers’ lights out vault rotation.
9:35pm: Lazzari had a 9.9!! I wanted to see that, boo.
Richards, FX: DLO is a little short. I wonder if she’s having issues with her elbow tonight. 1.5 to front lay, handles that well. Double tuck, to her hands. Someone please check on her, she is not okay.
Doggette, BB: By my calculations, 9.85 from her or Blanco will tie. 9.875 will win. Full turn is good. Bhs loso, steady. Beat to switch half to another beat, switch half did NOT reach 180. And flexed feet. Side aerial back full, off to the side and short on the landing, has to step forward pretty big.
9:38pm: Reed, FX: DLO, it’s a good one. Aaaaand we’ve switched away. This is rude.
Blanco, BB: Going simultaneously, oh boy. Front aerial, solid. Bhs loso loso, stays steady. Needle scale, just lovely. Switch to beat, good. Roundoff double full is stuck. That’s game, Bama wins.
Baumann, FX: She’s going right now but we’re just staring at Alabama waiting for their score. This is annoying. Finally, we get to see her closing pass. Double pike is excellent. She’s still fighting, but clearly upset as she walks off.
FINAL: BAMA 197.875, LSU 197.775, UF 196.975, UK 196.825, AUB 196.275, MIZ 196.125, ARK 195.6
Final event results:
VT: Blanco (Bama), Arenas, Bryant (LSU): 9.95
UB: Adams, Doggette, Blanco (Bama): 9.95
BB: Lazzari, Baumann (UF), Graber, Blanco (Bama): 9.95
FX: Johnson (LSU): 10.0
AA: Blanco (Bama): 39.8
Welp. I’m afraid that’s it for me tonight, y’all. Definitely not what anyone had hoped for. I’ll have a recap later this week to dissect exactly what happened. Have some questions to ask once they’re ready for media availability. Until then, thanks for hanging out. See you at regionals in two weeks!
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