It Had to End Sometime.

For 8 teams— no. 1 Oklahoma, no. 2 LSU, no. 3 Florida, no. 4 UCLA, no. 6 Georgia, no. 7 Stanford, no. 9 Arkansas, and no. 13 Minnesota — dreams of a nationalist title are still alive. Everyone else? In nan aforesaid vessel arsenic our favourite team, nan no. 8 Missouri Tigers. The seasons of no. 5 Alabama, who galore thought would beforehand connected nan performances of specified athletes arsenic Chloe LaCoursiere and SEC Freshman of nan Year Aza Ra-Akbar, nan nation’s no. 1 & 2 bars workers, no. 11 Michigan State (sad face, I really for illustration them), a astir improved no. 15 Clemson squad who missed retired by nan slimmest of margins (just 0.075), and no. 12 Utah who missed their first nationalist championships EVER (in 49 years!!!) [JK, I don’t attraction they didn’t make it] are besides over.

Mizzou was location past twelvemonth and would go 1 of nan past 4 teams standing. And people my words, they WILL get location again. It simply wasn’t successful nan cards for them this twelvemonth for immoderate number of reasons, but it doesn’t return distant from nan strides this squad has made. The Tigers genuinely are a nationalist unit to beryllium reckoned with, whether aliases not nan gymternet aliases (cough-cough) judges spot it that way.

“I deliberation we’ve group a definite modular truthful that erstwhile we autumn a small short connected thing that’s really difficult to do, it feels for illustration disappointment, but it really is conscionable a caller standard, rather honestly,” caput coach Shannon Welker said to nan mini group of Mizzou media connected manus aft Sunday’s Regional Final.

“I did deliberation they near their champion retired location today. You know, we needed to instrumentality a small spot amended from nan first arena connected there. But overall, [I’m] really proud of them. After losing truthful galore awesome group from past twelvemonth and to beryllium that adjacent to our extremity of a repetition travel to Dallas-Fort Worth. Really proud of them.”

Proud indeed.

Listen, we each cognize Friday’s semis were not highest Tigers, but they near it retired each retired location connected nan level connected Sunday. “Our extremity was to get amended connected each event, and I thought we did that,” Shannon said. That overmuch is true; we saw 2 play champion scores (Kennedy connected FX & VLT)

Just 0.225 separated 2nd and 3rd place, and had nan Tigers gotten a mates much sticks —Arkansas was a spot much dialed successful connected nan landings (and possibly received immoderate much lenient scoring) — we’d beryllium talking astir Mizzou’s 2nd consecutive travel to Fort Worth and not dissecting really we sewage here.

This athletics is truthful incredibly hard, some physically and mentally, and nan clip these athletes walk successful nan gym perfecting their trade is astounding. So galore missed moments successful puerility and precocious school, altered schedules, injuries, homeschooling and money spent to let for much training and meet travel. It has to return a batch retired of you; it’s not for nan weak.

I was a mediocre gymnast— nan coaches astatine Olympiad Gymnastics successful Florissant, Mo. fundamentally told my mom I’d ne'er really beryllium very bully arsenic my backmost wasn’t elastic enough. Don’t worry; it didn’t destruct my dreams. I focused my energies connected different sports— softball done eighth people and swimming done nan summertime aft elder twelvemonth though I could person continued my profession collegiately. I discontinue past arsenic I didn’t want it to encompass my life immoderate longer. It would go my life later erstwhile I started coaching, of course, and now it’s each very overmuch portion of my life arsenic a part-time sportswriter who covers nan aforesaid sports I erstwhile was a portion of.

And now, for Mizzou’s seniors— Grace Anne Davis, Makayla Green*, Addison Lawrence*, Lauren Macpherson, Elise Tisler, and Sara Wabi — person reached a akin junction successful their lives. It’s disconnected to nan adjacent awesome escapade wherever I’m definite they’ll do really awesome things successful their respective careers for illustration Mizzou grads earlier them; immoderate whitethorn extremity up successful coaching themselves for illustration Addi, who’s openly talked astir her aspirations. Regardless, I’m sad for them that it ended this way, particularly fixed immoderate judging worldly that we’ll get into later. They deserved better, and we should each beryllium truthful thankful to them for donning nan achromatic & gold, moreover it was for a azygous play aliases each 4 years. *technically, some Mak & Addi person a twelvemonth near they could take

Let’s get to really it shook out, shall we?

Missouri started disconnected connected bars, looking for a stronger commencement to nan meet than Friday, and succeeded successful that regard, earning a 49.300 (1/10 higher than semis). Would they get much sticks? Yes… 1 more. The scoring was beautiful tight it felt like, but nan media was besides nan furthest distant from bars truthful it’s imaginable I missed immoderate stuff.

Makayla led disconnected pinch a coagulated regular pinch awesome handstands and nary limb separation. I really thought she was going to get nan stick, but yet ended up pinch a mini measurement backmost connected nan landing, earning what seemed to maine for illustration a little scoring 9.775 (9.85, 9.8, 2x 9.75). Did I miss something? I must have.

“Makayla has done a bully job,” Shannon said aft nan meet. “You know, we needed personification connected bars. We mislaid 4 retired of our starting six past year. So we needed personification to travel successful and thief america that had immoderate experience, and she did a bully occupation of that.”

Lauren, successful what would beryllium her past bars regular (booooooo) sewage a stick, nan first of 3 successful nan rotation, earning a 9.85 (9.9, 3x 9.85). This people was higher than nan semis and should person been higher, I think. Olivia besides went supra her semis score, earning a wide scope of scores from nan judges to get astatine her 9.825 (9.9, 9.85, 2x 9.8). She leaned connected nan landing a bit, but it was a stick, thing nan Tigers needed to accumulate!

Maiya followed pinch a 9.85 (3x 9.85, 9.8). After earning a 9.90 successful nan semis, she was a small over-archy connected a handstand, mightiness person caught nan Gienger a spot close, and took a measurement connected nan landing, but overall, a coagulated capacity for nan freshman and I can’t hold to spot what she does moving guardant successful her Tiger career. Hannah was spectacular successful nan five-spot, earning a astonishing 9.925 (2x 9.95, 9.9) which I besides deliberation could person gone higher. It was so, truthful good, and would extremity up earning her an individual spot astatine Nationals. Kimarra, successful nan anchor spot, had an astonishing regular pinch conscionable nan hop astatine nan end, earning a 9.85 (also higher than semis).

As for nan different teams, I only really watched Arkansas, arsenic they were Mizzou’s main competition, but person noted everyone’s capacity successful narration to Friday’s semifinals (+ aliases -), arsenic good arsenic immoderate lineup changes.

The Tigers headed to beam next, hoping to exorcise Friday’s beam demons. Mission accomplished, arsenic nan beam squad earned a 49.250, which was 3/10 amended than Friday, and successful nan mediate of their scores for nan season. The scoring connected beam was nutso, but had it been arsenic applied to alllllll teams, I would person been good pinch it. That was not nan case, beloved readers; it was NOT.

Railey led disconnected and appeared to person conscionable a mini wobble; otherwise, it looked really good… though she only received a 9.825 for nan effort pinch nan scores divided evenly betwixt 9.8 & 9.85. Amy looked awesome successful nan two-spot, finishing, per nan CGN unrecorded blogger, conscionable short of 180 connected nan divided (understandable pinch nan injury) and pinch a spot of thin into her stick, earning a coagulated 9.85 that hit Friday’s score.… I powerfully consciousness Railey should person gotten astatine slightest this score, you guys.

“I’m really proud of Amy,” Shannon said. “It’s a ace cool communicative for her to travel backmost to her location authorities and really person a ton of occurrence pinch a schoolhouse that runs successful her family’s blood. She battled done that limb wounded astatine nan extremity location pinch immoderate strained muscles. You know, that takes immoderate toughness, and she really bounced backmost from time 1 to time two.”

Kaia went adjacent and was truthful solid, pinch conscionable a mini measurement connected nan landing, earning (again) what seemed to beryllium a little scoring 9.825 (one judge gave her a 9.9). Olivia followed pinch a 9.775 and different stick, earning 1 9.85 from a judge. She had a spot of a equilibrium cheque aft that damn broadside aerial that’s gotten her successful galore meets this season.

To wrap up nan rotation, a brace of seniors, Lauren and Addi, performed nan past beam routines of their respective careers 🥺. LMac had conscionable a hop successful place, earning a 9.875 (one judge gave her a 9.95), and past came Addi, who earned a ace coagulated 9.875. What a quality 24 hours makes!

In closing, we are conscionable elated nan Tigers won’t person to spot this beam successful Lexington again until 2028 (next twelvemonth UK comes to CoMo).

As for nan different teams:

Let’s conscionable get this retired of nan measurement first thing, shall we? The Fab Floor sewage screwed, y’all. You cognize it. I cognize it. The gymternet knows it. The media knew it. Expletives were muttered. At 1 constituent I banged connected nan table. It was bad, truthful bad. I simply do not understand what happened here, different than they were wearing possibly wearing nan incorrect leo.

In my notes, for Railey’s regular successful leadoff, I wrote, “WOW. 9.85 is bs.” She sewage 1 9.9 from nan judges. Elise looked fabulous successful nan 2nd spot, earning a… 9.80. WHAT? She besides sewage 1 9.9 from nan judges. Ayla had a ft descent successful her first pass, but her 2nd was bully and her past walk was stuck cold. She earned a 9.85 with, you guessed it, 1 9.90 from nan judges. I americium reasonably definite I started to disassociate astatine this point.

Kaia was next, and her first walk really made maine exclaim, WHOA. She earned a 9.875, which meant 2 judges gave her a 9.85. I banged connected nan array aft that one.

Kennedy went 5th and did not return a measurement retired of place; it was insanely good, and she earned nan only adjacent people of nan rotation, a unanimous 9.95 (her play high). And finally, came Hannah, wherever I almost fell retired of my chair erstwhile I saw 1 judge — conscionable one! — propulsion up a 10.0 that she’s been waiting connected each season. Did nan different judges travel suit? OF COURSE NOT. One gave her a 9.95 (good), and past 2 for immoderate wholly chartless logic gave her a 9.90.

Here’s a smattering of nan gymternet’s reactions to this routine.

When asked astir nan Fab Floor post-meet, Shannon said, “It’s a talented group. They’ve sewage a batch of innate ability, and past we also, I consciousness for illustration they’ve developed it rather a bit. So it’s an awesome group, and excited. I deliberation we only suffer 1 retired of that group adjacent year, truthful I’m judge they’re going to beryllium stronger.”

As for nan different teams:

With 1 arena to spell and nan Tigers conscionable 0.025 down nan Gymbacks, would they go Ohio State-esque connected vault? No, unluckily not. When nan vault squad desperately needed nan sticks, they conscionable didn’t get them.

“I thought vault was coagulated complete there,” Shannon said. “You know, it comes down to sticks astatine this constituent erstwhile you’re astatine this level and you person those goals.”

I will contend, this vault squad, moreover without nan sticks, has looked markedly amended nan past month-plus. The landings person been a batch much controlled, and I’m excited for this group moving forward, who loses conscionable 1 elder (Elise 🥺).

Kennedy looked awesome backmost successful leadoff pinch conscionable a hop successful place. She had awesome height, tying her play champion 9.85. In for Kaia, Ayla stepped successful — she looked damn bully successful warmups — and took a beautiful large measurement back, earning a possibly generous, but unanimous 9.80. Her legs were glued together, and Ayla did a bully occupation filling successful past minute.

When asked astir nan change, Shannon said, “We looked astatine nan time before, and that wasn’t Kaia’s champion vault connected Friday… We knew I was going to beryllium deciding betwixt those two, rather honestly, and I conscionable felt for illustration we needed dependable correct there, and I didn’t deliberation Kaia was going to people that overmuch higher than what Ayla scored there.”

Railey was next, taking a measurement backmost connected her Y1.5, earning a 9.825 (she whitethorn person lacked immoderate distance), earlier Hannah had fantabulous style successful nan aerial but a mean hop forward, earning a 9.85— these judges LOVED a 9.85 this rotation (I opportunity sarcastically).

Kimarra’s people successful nan 5th spot should person been higher, besides earning a 9.85 contempt having a TINY hop, but a awesome artifact and tons of height. She sewage 1 9.9 from a judge. Elise, who did a 9.95 SV Yurchenko Full connected Friday, astatine nan past infinitesimal switched backmost to a Y1.5, besides earning — YOU GUESSED IT! — a 9.85 (and 1 9.9 from a judge).

”We were prepared to do some vaults, rather honestly,” Shannon said. “And we wanted to lukewarm up nan [Yurchenko] Full nighttime one, conscionable because we hadn’t competed it, conscionable successful lawsuit we sewage to nan extremity and we conscionable needed judge thing… We conscionable wanted to beryllium prepared for some scenarios there. And obviously, we conscionable decided to spell for it astatine that constituent and I didn’t person their [Arkansas] past beam score. I’m like, well, we request to spell for it here. If we’re going to beryllium aggressive, we request to fto them beryllium aggressive, too.”

To wrap it up, here’s really nan remainder of nan last rotation went.

And location you person it.

So wherever does this time off us? Well, first up, everyone will beryllium watching nan NCAA Championships because obviously, #everybodywatcheswomenssports, but also, to tune successful and watch HANNAH HORTON compete bars arsenic an individual successful nan National Semi #2 session.

And successful lawsuit you’re wondering really nan Regional Floor Co-Champion didn’t beforehand to nationals, successful nan semifinal round, Hannah, The Creator earned a 9.925 that matched Arkansas’ Joscelyn Roberson and Kentucky’s Creslyn Brose. When Arkansas advanced, that automatically knocked retired Josc, and near a tiebreaker betwixt Brose and H2. Because some had nan aforesaid scoresheets— 2 9.90 and 2 9.95 (Hannah was underscored, per usual) — they took to NQS, wherever Brose had nan precocious hand… by 0.05 of a point. [dramatic sigh.] The underscoring of H2 each play was nan culprit erstwhile again, this clip keeping her retired of contention for a natty connected a 2nd event.

Aside from that, Shannon said, “This is simply a young squad conscionable trying to fig it retired a small bit. I deliberation that tells you what we’re going to beryllium tin of adjacent year, particularly pinch nan number 4 recruiting people successful nan country.”

“I deliberation each arena we person is going to get stronger adjacent year. I cognize we’re losing a mates of routines present and there, but what we’re going to create on pinch what’s stepping successful nan door, I deliberation group are going to beryllium really impressed. If they liked this twelvemonth and past year, I deliberation adjacent twelvemonth is going to beryllium beautiful impressive.”

Man, I’m going to miss this squad and these parents that I’ve gotten to cognize complete nan past mates months. Covering this squad is so, truthful bully for nan soul. That’s what we — me, Nate and Ben — each talked astir this past play successful Lex. We are truthful proud to get to beryllium 3 of nan main voices down nan Mizzou Gym coverage. It’s genuinely been a joyousness and a f’ing honor.

This, of course, is not goodbye. There will beryllium much much to come. [And sorry this took truthful agelong to get out. It’s been a WEEK.]