In-State Gymnastics Teams Dazzle At Best Of Utah, Red Rocks Win Fourth Straight

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 sports.ksl.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

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