Florida Gators on FIRE!

Feb 9, 2013 by Brittany Norton

The #1 Gators CREAMED the reigning National Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide, by 1.25! Alabama’s 196.85 stood no chance to the Gators CRAZY high 198.1, the second highest score in school history and the highest score in the Nation this season.

Florida started out the night with four 9.90’s or higher on vault. Senior Ashanée Dickerson stuck her Yurchenko full for a 9.925. Dickerson has scored 9.90 or higher on vault during each of Florida’s six meets this year.

However, it was Alabama’s Marissa Gutierrez who took home the evenings vault title with a 9.95. Gutierrez was the only member of the tide to receive at least 9.90 on vault.
A shocking fall from Kytra Hunter on bars didn’t rattle the Gators one bit. Florida’s Mackenzie Caquatto and Bridget Sloan performed directly after Hunter’s fall and anchored the score with an incredible 9.95.

Alabama couldn’t capitalize on Hunter’s mistakes, even after she fell again on beam. After the meet, Florida’s head-coach, Rhonda Faehn, relayed that Hunter had been battling the stomach flu all week, and that was the reason her performance wasn’t up to par.

On floor the Gators hit four 9.90’s in a row! Ashanée Dickerson performed the best routine of her college career, receiving a 10.0 from one judge and scoring a 9.975.

Florida finished the night with FOURTEEN 9.90’s, while the Tide only finished with three! Alabama really had no major mistakes, but steps on the landings proved costly.

Of course, there is talk about how the Gators may be peaking too early. How can this be when their best all-around gymnast fell twice, and Alaina Johnson, another all-arounder, is out with a back injury? Faehn says that they still have a lot of work to do on beam and getting the sticks. She says they also have freshman that can and will contribute to the scores.

Over the last four years, the team that has lost the Alabama-Florida meet has gone on to win the SEC championship. The Gators did exactly that last year and lost the National Championship. This time, Florida is ready to exact revenge on Alabama and win their first National Championship in school history.