Huskers Advance Five to West Point Finals

Five Nebraska gymnasts advanced to the event finals of the 14th annual West Point Open during the team competition held Friday, Jan. 28 at the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>HollederCenter in West Point, N.Y.  The Huskers finished third (210.8) as a team behind defending national champions Penn State (217.75) while Iowa claimed the No. 2 spot (216.375).  <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The top-eight competitors from each event advance to Saturday’s event finals where sophomore Paul Chumreonlert will represent the Huskers on two events, pommel horse and still rings.  Sophomore Jason Wassung, who finished third overall in the all-around (52.90), will also compete on pommel as well as the parallel bars. 

 

Nebraska co-captains, seniors Mace Patterson and Tony Burtle qualified as well, Patterson on the high bar and Burtle on the floor exercise and vault.  Junior Derric Wood will also compete on the floor.

 

A rocky start on the parallel bars put the Huskers behind the pace from the gate, forcing them to play catch-up for the remainder of the evening.  Although the event put Nebraska behind, Head Coach Francis Allen said his team performed to his expectations.

 

“We didn’t come out very strong on parallel bars, but we’re finishing routines and that’s what we’re after at this point,” Allen said.  “It’s all a process and that’s just one event we’re still working on.” 

 

Nebraska tried to regroup on the high bar, but a series of missed landings and falls kept NU’s hopes for a quick comeback at bay.  However, things began to look up for the Huskers as Patterson nailed a season-high (9.3) to finish off the event.

 

The floor exercise, historically a strong event for the Huskers, continued its legacy as Nebraska worked a series of sturdy routines into a season-high team score of 35.20.  Leading the charge were Burtle and Wood, each with an 8.85.  This was Wood’s best score on the floor since 2003.

 

Nebraska’s sophomore class kept things rolling for Nebraska on the pommel horse.  Wassung started it out, sticking a career-high 9.4 to crush his previous best of 8.9 from the Rocky Mountain Open.  Chumreonlert, currently ranked eighth in the pommel horse nationally, followed suit with a 9.55, also a career high. 

 

“We’ve been doing better pommel routines in practice and it shows,” Allen said.  “Chumreonlert and Wassung both showed what their capable of tonight and it paid off for them.  I’m very pleased with how they performed.”

 

A solid score on the still rings from Chumreonlert (9.25), combined with an outstanding team effort on the vault led by Burtle (9.5) pushed the Huskers into third in the final rotation.  The finish helps Nebraska improve to a 10-3 record for the season.

 

The West Point Open resumes tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. CST when Husker qualifiers will battle against other top-eight finishers from the team competition.  Nebraska will return to Lincoln for their first home meet of 2005 on Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. when they take on Oklahoma at the DevaneySportsCenter.  

 

 

Team Scoring

No.       Team                      Score

1                     Penn State             217.75

2                     Iowa                       216.375

3                     Nebraska               210.80

4                     Army                      209.45

5                     Temple                   205.825

6                     Temple/JO              204.400

7                     Navy                       203.000

8                     William & Mary        202.150

9                     Springfield               193.750

10                 James Madison        192.150

11                 American Gym.        183.700

12                 MIT                          169.300

 

All-Around (Individual Events take place on Saturday)

3.  Jason Wassung        52.90

13.  Stephen T?trault      50.30