Red Rocks score season-high in regular season finale
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) – The #5 Utah Gymnastics team returned to the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Friday night, hosting Utah State and Stanford University for their final regular season competition, celebrating senior night with one final bow in front of their home fans. The Red Rocks dominated the evening, eclipsing the 198-scoring mark for the second time this season with a 198.300, achieving the fifth-highest team score in program history. Stanford came in second scoring a 196.500, with Utah State rounding out the competitors scoring a 195.225.
Coming so close throughout the season, Abby Paulson captured the elusive 10.0 score on beam, closing out her career at the Huntsman Center in front of a home crowd of over 13,000 fans. It was the second perfect score of her career and the first 10.0 since her freshman season. Utah dazzled on both beam and floor, achieving season highs as a team in both events with a 49.600 on beam and matching their best on floor with a 49.700.
McCallum records perfect 10 in win over Arizona
Ella Zirbes secured the first score of 9.9+, scoring a 9.925, in the second spot of the lineup. Grace McCallum anchored the Utah lineup, matching the high score with a mark of 9.925. Makenna Smith added a 9.90 with her first event of the evening, as Utah worked on the back half of their lineup. With her last vault inside the Huntsman, Jaedyn Rucker scored a 9.90, marking her third consecutive meet with a 9.9+ in the event. Camie Winger would get the night started for Utah with the opening vault of the evening, scoring a 9.850. Ashley Glynn added the second 9.850 of the rotation for Utah, as the Red Rocks hit the middle of their lineup.
After the first event, Utah scored a 49.500 (vault), Stanford posting a 49.225 (beam) and Utah State scoring a 48.900 (bars).
Grace McCallum was nearly perfect for the second meet in a row, scoring a 9.975 in the fifth spot of the lineup for the Red Rocks. Winger added a 9.900 in the second spot of the rotation for the Utes, setting a new career-high. Alani Sabado hit her biggest routine inside the Huntsman, scoring a 9.900 for a career-high, in her final home performance. Smith took her spot at the top of the order, scoring a 9.875, her highest score in the event since Stanford came to town nearly a month ago. With the pressure on the back of the lineup, Maile O’Keefe scored a 9.850 to set the rotation back on track.
Through two rotations, Utah maintained their lead over Stanford and Utah State, scoring a 49.500 on bars, with Stanford scoring a 48.925 on floor and Utah State scoring a 38.350 on beam. Holding a near full point advantage over the Cardinal 99.000-98.150, the Aggies from Utah State tallied a 97.250.
Paulson set the mark that would not be beat, scoring her second career 10.0 on beam and her first in front of the home crowd. After an amazing routine on bars, McCallum took the energy from one event to the next, capturing a 9.950 on beam. Adding the third score of 9.9+ in the rotation, O’Keefe tallied a 9.90 in the anchor spot of the lineup for the Red Rocks. Moving into the second spot in the lineup, Smith scored a 9.875, her highest in the event since the Best of Utah. Elizabeth Gantner closed out her first year of performances in front of a Huntsman Center crowd matching her career-high, adding another 9.875 to the Utah rotation. Winger opened the rotation on beam, scoring a 9.800.
Heading into the final event of the night, Utah maintained a 148.600-147.350 lead over Stanford, with Utah State scoring a 146.325 through the three events. Utah would score a season-high 49.600 on beam, Stanford tallied a 49.200 on vault with Utah State scoring a 49.075 on floor.
#4 Red Rocks fall to #3 California
McCallum was feeling back at home with her fourth score of 9.9+, posting a 9.975 in the fifth spot of the lineup for the Red Rocks. Paulson carried the momentum from beam to the floor, scoring a 9.925 with her final home floor performance. Rucker wasn’t leaving the Huntsman without putting one more 9.9 on the board for the Utes, scoring a 9.925. Jaylene Gilstrap kept the streak alive, coming off her career-best at Arizona, matching the score from the week prior with a 9.950. Back in the leadoff spot, Smith got the floor rotation started with her third score of 9.900 of the season.
Utah will look to defend its Pac-12 title next weekend at the 2024 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships on Saturday, March 23.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
