Bears take second place in Metroplex Challenge on Valentine’s Day | Gymnastics

While much of the nation observed Valentine’s Day, the Cal women’s gymnastics team was competing at the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, seeking a top finish against a challenging field.

A Competitive Weekend in Fort Worth

Four teams participated in the event: No. 20 Cal, No. 6 Georgia, No. 10 Stanford, and No. 40 Air Force. Cal entered the competition following a recent loss to Stanford, but buoyed by a confidence-boosting win over Clemson. The weekend resulted in a 2-1 record for the Bears and a second-place overall finish.

Team Focus and Consistency

Senior Jayden Silvers emphasized the team’s consistent approach. “Every meet, we’ve gone in and our job is always the same,” Silvers said. “We’re not going to change that, regardless of what meet we’re at. We did a really good job of staying within our team and staying really connected.”

Strong Individual Performances

Cal began the competition on the uneven bars, with strong showings from junior Annalise Newman-Achee (9.900) and freshman Tonya Paulsson (9.875). These two gymnasts were the only Bears to compete in the all-around competition. Despite these solid performances, Georgia’s Csenge Bácskay and Lily Smith secured first place with near-perfect scores of 9.950, while Air Force’s Maggie Slife also achieved a high score of 9.925.

On the balance beam, Newman-Achee continued her strong performance with another 9.900. Senior Miki Aderinto achieved a personal best score in the event. Sage Melkonian scored a 9.825, her best beam score of the season, but it was only enough for 15th place in the standings. Georgia again took first place on beam, with Kelise Woolford scoring a 9.950.

Navigating a Shifting Landscape

Stanford also demonstrated competitive scores throughout the rotations, with its top three beam gymnasts all scoring 9.900 or higher. Air Force, in contrast, only had one score within the top 15 overall.

This season, the Bears have been keenly aware of perceptions surrounding a change in coaching staff. Silvers acknowledged this dynamic, stating, “We went into this season with this feeling of, ‘We’re not trying to prove something, but we’re trying to show people what we can do.’ I know that a lot of people tied Cal’s success to the coaches and we wanted to show people that with these new coaches, we can be just as successful.”

Looking Ahead

In the third rotation, Silvers delivered a standout floor routine, earning a personal best score of 9.850 – the third-highest score for Cal in that event. The Bears concluded the competition on vault, where Air Force and Georgia tied for first place with a score of 9.925.

Cal’s final composite score of 196.875 secured a second-place finish, narrowly losing to Georgia (197.650) but defeating both Air Force (195.750) and Stanford (196.400). Silvers noted that Georgia’s gymnasts focused on minimizing deductions, stating, “A lot of the (Georgia) girls, when they go up to compete, they’re really hitting on the details of their gymnastics and limiting the deductions that the judges can take. Gymnastics is such a subjective sport that the goal is to be perfect. Anything that is even questionable gives the judges more power to control.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Cal’s overall record at the Metroplex Challenge?

Cal finished the Metroplex Challenge with a 2-1 record, securing victories against Air Force and Stanford, but losing to Georgia.

Which Cal gymnasts competed in the all-around competition?

Junior Annalise Newman-Achee and freshman Tonya Paulsson were the only Cal gymnasts to compete in the all-around competition.

What is the Bears’ next competition?

Cal will host North Carolina, ranked No. 15, at Haas Pavilion starting at 7:30 p.m. Cal is currently ranked No. 17.

As Silvers prepares for her final year of competitive gymnastics, she emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the process. “That’s something we’ve talked about this week as a team: how joy is something that you can create,” she said. “It’s not always something that just happens … If I was telling a younger gymnast to do one thing it would be to try and create joy, and really try and enjoy the challenges in the process because it really does come and go so fast.”

What does it mean to balance the pursuit of technical perfection with the enjoyment of the sport, especially during a season of transition?