Bama Ready for 23^rd NCAA Championship Appearance

The Alabama Crimson Tide Gymnastics team has participated in four days of intensive intra-squad workouts this past week in preparation for their 23^rd NCAA appearance.  At stake is a chance to obtain their fourth NCAA title in the great state of Alabama, fifth overall.  The road to each of the previous titles was never easy and this year is no different.  And while the Tide has a strong chance to grab the golden ring in front of their home state crowd, the competition is probably going to be the most intense ever for an NCAA Championship.  We'll take a brief look back at Bama's performance in the 2005 Central Regional Championship before outlining the "keys to victory" as the Tide drives for title #5.

A Confident Central Regional Performance (196.675) for Title #20

Despite encountering very conservative scoring from the judges on the opening event (uneven bars), Alabama persevered and hit six for six routines, highlighted by 9.85 scores from Terin Humphrey and Ashley Miles .  Miles not only nailed her release move (Hindorff), but stuck the double layout dismount with awesome height, form and distance from the high bar.  The team totaled 48.925 and moved next to the balance beam.

The Tide also went six for six on the beam (48.950) but again encountered conservative scoring, with this just being the second rotation of the meet.  Rachael Delahoussaye (9.725) had her first glitch of the year on her side switch leap (leg lifted to balance) but Shannon Hrozek (9.750), Miles (9.800), Mari Bayer (9.825) and Humphrey (9.850) kept pushing the scores up, feeding off the crowd's energy.  Bama next went out on a bye to prepare for a dynamic performance on the floor exercise.

Alabama's floor routines were highlighted by extra emphasis on dance and presentation as well as sticking the tumbling passes in bounds.  The crowd again was a factor in fueling the team's individual performances.  Following a disappointing performance on this event at SECs (first two up), Shannon Hrozek and Erin Rightley responded the way the coaches had hoped, resulting in scores of 9.825 and 9.875 respectively.  Michelle Reeser had another superb performance (9.875) that pumped the crowd into a frenzy and Humphrey matched her with a similar outing (9.900) that included world-class tumbling (pike full-in, 2 ½ twist to punch front, 1 ½ twist through to a 2 ½ twist).  Alexis Brion was heading straight for a 9.90 plus score until her knees buckled a bit on the landing of the double tuck (final pass), resulting in a 9.800, which was dropped from the Tide's total.  Miles backed her up with another superb show for the home crowd, resulting in a 9.950.  Her final tumbling pass of the double pike had the most amplitude and control in execution and landing that we've ever seen from the powerful junior.  The team finished with a 49.425 on this event and moved next to the vault.

Bama closed out the victory in rotation five with a 49.375 total.  Hrozek stuck her Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.875 (slightly off center, costing her about .05 to .10) and Brion matched her with another powerful front pike - ½ twist (9.875).  Brittany Comeaux (9.850) and Humphrey (9.850) had the most difficult and unique vaults, landing both with confidence and minimal balance checks.  And freshman Kaitlin White provided solid back-up vaulting again this week for Dana Filetti by performing another strong Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.825 (one small hop back).  Miles iced the cake one more time with a 9.925 (small hop back as well on the landing). 

Alabama got the job done and won the meet by over one point to second-place Iowa State, who also qualified to Nationals.  The all-around title was won by Miles, with Terin coming in second and Shannon Hrozek in fourth.  Bama also took the vault (Miles), bars (Miles and Humphrey) and floor (Miles) individual titles.

Some Tidebits and the Outlook for Nationals

The "word up" regarding practices this week has been excellent.  The coaches have put the gymnasts through their most intense and focused pre-Nationals workouts in years by having them working alternating days of straight intra-squad competitions.  This has also been highlighted by switching the line-ups in certain events to maximize scoring potential as well as blasting loud spates of music while the team has performed on the balance beam. 

Of note also is the fact that Dana Filetti has been throwing a Yurchenko 1/1 in practices, reportedly with excellent results this past Sunday.  This change has occurred to help alleviate some of the back pain she had been experiencing from the Yurchenko full twist on - back pike off vault she has thrown for the past two years.  Bama once again looks very strong on vault for Nationals but obviously must stick their landings to obtain the highest possible scoring on one of their best events.  Don't be surprised if the final line-up looks like this:

1. Shannon Hrozek (Yurchenko 1/1)
2. Brittany Comeaux (Yurchenko ½ on - front tuck - ½ off (tuck out)
3. Dana Filetti  or Kaitlin White (Yurchenko 1/1)
4. Alexis Brion (Front Pike - ½ Twist)
5. Terin Humphrey (Yurchenko ½ on - front pike - ½ off (pike out)
6. Ashley Miles (Yurchenko 1/1)

The Tide will also be looking to stick their dismounts on the uneven bars to increase their scoring potential.  After running away with the top score on this event at SECs (49.450), it's clear that Bama once again has not only the difficulty on this event to score big, but has the tight form and extension to capture the judges' attention.  The routines will be separated by the number of handstands that reach vertical as well as the stuck landings on the dismounts.  We're betting the coaches stick with the line-up of: Shannon Hrozek, Brittany Comeaux, Ashley Miles, Dana Filetti, Mari Bayer and Terin Humphrey.

Now, we all know that the Tide has struggled the most on the balance beam this year.  This is partly due to adding new performers in the line-up (Miles, Filetti and Humphrey, as well as Rightley at certain points) but it is safe to say that Bama has also experienced some confidence shakes when they've encountered unusually tight judging at certain venues.  But statistics don't lie and it is a fact that the Tide has had only two performances on the beam above a 49.0 team score: this included a 49.350 against LSU in January and a 49.225 at Georgia.  And while this shows that Bama has been able to successfully perform under intense pressure on this event, it also demonstrates that they have not been able to sustain similar confident and determined performances week in and week out.    Oddly enough, we think it's to their advantage that the Tide is finishing on the balance beam in the evening session this Thursday because this places them in the best position to control their destiny.  The judges will see Alabama last on beam and if they hit their routines with confidence, the scores will go up, just like they did on the uneven bars at SECs.  There is a possibility that the coaches will shift the line-up a bit (order of gymnasts) but look for the following to be included: Michelle Reeser, Ashley Miles, Rachael Delahoussaye, Shannon Hrozek, Mari Bayer, Terin Humphrey.

Bama will start the meet off on a bye before moving to the floor exercise They should benefit from the judges having seen the first team up on floor and will have a great opportunity to separate themselves with the superior tumbling they've shown this year on this event.  But again, Bama must be strong and determined to hit their tumbling passes and stay in bounds.  This is where they can take control of the meet early, just like the team did in both sessions of the 2002 Nationals in Tuscaloosa.    The coaches have also been mixing the order of gymnasts during intra-squads this past week and a surprise or two may be in the works at the beginning and near the end of the line-up.

Here's hoping that the competition is free of injuries for all the athletes competing and that our favorite team not only competes with fire, determination and grace, but boosts each other to their maximum performance level.  It's time to paint the town of Auburn in crimson and white.  Fans who will be joining us, make sure you bring extra toilet tissue to roll Toomer's Corners!  Roll Tide!