In-State Gymnastics Teams Dazzle At Best Of Utah, Red Rocks Win Fourth Straight
Jan 13, 2023, 9:21 PM | Updated: Jan 14, 2023, 9:54 am
WEST VALLEY, UT – The Red Rocks, BYU, Utah State, and Southern Utah gymnastics met for the fourth annual Rio Tinto Best of Utah meet to rave reviews, dazzling the crowd.
All four in-state teams represented Utah well and wowed the crowd throughout the night. However, the Red Rocks were the team to prevail and win the title for the fourth time in a row.
… AND THAT'S HOW U DO IT! 🙌#trUSt | #LightTheU pic.twitter.com/lazVI4JP1C
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) January 14, 2023
Rotation One
BYU Vault:
Top Score: 9.825- Allix Mason, Sydney Benson
Total Score: 48.800
USU Bars:
Top Score: 9.825- Jessica Gutierrez, Avery Bibbey
Total Score: 49.025
SUU Beam:
Top Score: 9.8- Karley McClain
Total Score: 48.850
Utah Floor:
Top Score: 9.925- Grace McCallum
Total Score: 49.375
Jaylene Gilstrap on floor 🤩
9.9 for the artist 👩🎨 #GoUtes #trUSt pic.twitter.com/n15tke9WAr
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 14, 2023
The Red Rocks establish the lead early in the meet during the first rotation with a team total of 49.375. Utah State came in second with a 49.025, SUU with a 48.850, and BYU with a 48.8.
Next the Utes moved to vault, BYU to bars, Utah State to beam and SUU to floor.
Rotation Two
Utah Vault:
Top Score: 9.925- Jayden Rucker
Vault Total: 49.350
Total Score: 98.725
Ummm, hi 👋🏽 Lucy 👀🎯#GoUtes #trUSt pic.twitter.com/dNkLO6bHZm
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 14, 2023
BYU Bars:
Top Score: 9.900 – Anyssa Alvarado
Bars Score: 49.175
Total Score: 97.975
USU Beam:
Top Score: 9.900- Sofi Sullivan
Beam Score: 49.025
Total Score: 98.050
SUU Floor:
Top Score: 9.925- Karley McClain
Floor Score: 49.350
Total Score: 98.200
The Utes remained firmly in the lead after the second rotation with a 98.725, but there was some jockeying for second place with SUU overtaking USU for the next best spot with a 98.200. The Aggies fell down to third with a 98.050 and BYU stayed in fourth with a 97.975.
Up next Utah moves to bars, BYU to beam, USU to floor and SUU to vault.
Rotation Three
SUU Vault:
Top Score: 9.825- Ellie Cacciola
Vault Score: 48.825
Total Score: 147.025
Utah Bars:
Top Score: 9.975- Grace McCallum
Bars Score: 49.350
Total Score: 148.075
Cristal Isa being great on bars 📶#GoUtes #trUSt pic.twitter.com/JfGpHZNWxI
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 14, 2023
BYU Beam:
Top Score: 9.850- Elease Rollins
Beam Score: 48.200
Total Score: 146.175
USU Floor:
Top Score: 9.850- Alivia Ostendorf, Ariel Toomey, Grace Rojas
Floor Score: 49.125
Total Score: 147.175
The Red Rocks continued to extend their lead putting a .900 of a point in between themselves and Utah State who regained second place. Southern Utah fell back to third and BYU continued to round out the lineup.
Utah moved to beam to finish up with Utah State heading to vault, Southern Utah to bars and BYU on floor.
Rotation Four
USU Vault:
Top Score: 9.825- Brianna Brooks
Vault Score: 48.625
Final Score: 195.800
SUU Bars:
Top Score: 9.875- Shylen Murakami
Bars Score: 49.150
Final Score: 196.175
Utah Beam:
Top Score: 10.0- Kara Eaker
Beam Score: 49.675
Final Score: 197.750
IT'S PERFECT‼️ KARA EAKER SCORES A 10 💥 pic.twitter.com/Wa2VlBdVoE
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) January 14, 2023
BYU Floor:
Top Score: 9.850- Rebekah Bean Ripley
Floor Score: 48.875
Final Score: 195.050
Utah finished off the night in the top spot with Southern Utah coming in second, Utah State in third and BYU coming in fourth place.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports