The preliminaries are half finished. Qualifying, so far, to the 6 Team Final competition are:
Oklahoma 357.500
Penn State 357.300
Michigan 354.300
Eliminated: Ohio, Nebraska, William and Mary.
Ohio looks great. Yet — like last year — they didn’t get to the Final.
Nebraska has a big team, rebuilding.
Perhaps the biggest story of the first session of two was Casey Sandy. As expected, he HIT 6 for 6, scoring 90.15. (His #1 qualifying score coming in was 91.08.) Personally, however, I found Casey’s routines “cautious” tonight. He was so careful, I thought it detracted.
Last year Casey only competed in four events because of an ankle injury. But he’s the man to beat so far in 2008.
Jonathan Horton, #4 at World’s 2007, did not compete all-around, after all. His rep is to hit big. And to miss big. That he did tonight. Horton has the top score on Rings and Parallel Bars, so far. But he rolled out of his Handspring double front vault. Fell twice on Horizontal Bar.
Like last year, the NCAA routines on Floor and Vault were strong. Horizontal Bar conspicuously weak.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 