Midwestern Sectional Championships

Thursday, November 17th
10:40 Novice Pairs Short Program
11:25 Junior Pairs Short Program
1:05 Senior Men's Short Program
2:00 Novice Pattern Dance
3:30 Junior Ladies Short Program
5:20 Novice Men's Short Program
6:50 Senior Ladies Short Program

Friday, November 18th
9:35 Novice Pairs Free Skate
10:35 Novice Free Dance
1:10 Novice Ladies Short Program
5:20 Junior Men's Short Program
6:55 Junior Short Dance
7:40 Senior Short Dance
8:25 Novice Men's Free Skate

Saturday, November 19th
9:45 Novice Ladies Free Skate
11:25 Junior Pairs Free Skate
12:00 Junior Free Dance
12:45 Senior Free Dance
1:35 Senior Ladies Free Skate
3:30 Junior Men's Free Skate
5:00 Senior Men's Free Skate
6:10 Junior Ladies Free Skate

Skaters to Watch:

Novice Ladies: Amber Glenn had the second highest total regional score.

Junior Ladies: In one of the toughest sectional events, the reigning novice medalists Hannah Miller, Barbie Long and Mariah Bell face off against Gracie Gold, who failed to qualify for nationals last season but set the 2nd highest score on the JGP earlier this season.  Hannah Miller and Gracie Gold had a bye through regionals due to their JGP assignments.  Barbie Long had the highest total regional score and Lexi Verhulst, who did not qualify for nationals last season, had the 2nd highest total regional score.  Mariah Bell's score was 4th.

Senior Ladies: Former novice medalist Kiri Baga will face Amanda Dobbs, McKinzie Daniels, Nina Jiang, Alexe Gilles, and Morgan Bell, all former nationals competitors and all with regionals scores in the top 10.  McKinzie Daniels is the only lady of this group to receive an international assignment so far this season.

Novice Men: Brian Krentz leads the field with the 4th highest total regional score.

Junior Men: Lukas Kaugars qualified as a novice last season and holds the 2nd highest total regional score at the junior level.  Troy Tomasello is also making a jump from the novice level and has the 4th highest regional score.

Senior Men: Max Aaron put up a huge score at regionals and included quads in his programs to up his technical ante as he makes the jump from junior to senior.  Grant Hochstein received a bye through regionals due to his international assignment and recently added a triple axel to his repertoire.

Junior Pairs: Reigning novice champions Aaron/Settlage compete here after making their JGP debut earlier this season and will compete against Oltmanns/Santillan who also competed on the JGP.  All 4 teams competing here will qualify for nationals.

Junior Dance: Bertsch and Kaplun competed for Canada last season and are entering their first US qualifying season.  Hawayek/Bramante and Mancini/Brooks are reigning novice medalists and are competing here fresh off their JGP debuts.

Senior Dance: The new pairing of Aronow/Brubaker compete for the first time after previously qualifying for nationals with different partners.  Hubbell/Donohue also compete after their strong international showings at Nebelhorn and Skate America earlier this season along with Wingle and McKernan.  All 4 teams competing here will qualify for nationals.

Broadmoor Open

The Broadmoor Open runs June 22nd-25th in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Competitors in the International Skating Pool and a few other competitors of note include:

Senior Men
Alexander Johnson
SP Score: 20, 29.4 48.4 Music: O mio babbino caro


Senior Men SP Only
Joshua Farris
Score: 34.82, 31.05 64.87 Music: Clair de Lune
3A, 3F+3T, 3Lz

Max Aaron
Score: 32.22 29.7 61.92 Music: Tango medley of Oblivion by Piazzolla & Mr. & Mrs. Smith 
4S, 3A, 3Lz+2T



Senior Ladies
Lauren Dinh
SP Score:  43.70
McKinzie Daniels
SP Score: 40.36
Angela Wang
SP Score: 53.14


Senior Ladies SP Only
Melissa Bulanhagui
Score: 17.5 20.2 37.7
3A attempt, Popped lutz, 2a.
 
Junior Men
Timothy Dolensky
SP Score: 52.05 
3Lo+3Lo turnout, 3Lz, 2A


David Wang
SP score: 49.70
2A, 3F+2T, 3Lz


Junior Ladies
Hannah Miller
SP Score: 45.60 Music: Danse Macabre
3F+1T, 3Lz, 2A
FS score:  87.76 Music: Masquerade Waltz
2A, 3F, 3Lo, 3S+2T+2Lo, 3T+2T, 3S, 3T+'tano 2T
Barbie Long (not on ISP, finished 2nd in novice last season)
SP Score: 50.44 Music: Swan Lake
3Lz, 3F+2T, 2A
FS score: 93.13 Music: 42nd Street
3Lz+2T+2Lo, 3F+2A seq., 3Lo, 3F, 3S, 1Lz, 2A+3T fall.
Mariah Bell (not on ISP, finished 3rd in novice last season)
SP Score: 44.76 Music: Mack & Mabel
2A, 2Lz, 3F+2T
FS Score: 84.73
2A+2A seq., 3F, 3Lz, 3S, 3T, 3F, 3T

Junior Pairs SP
Madeline Aaron/Max Settlage
SP Score: 40.24
Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier (not on ISP, but new junior team)
SP Score: 43.29
Kylie Duarte/Colin Grafton
SP Score: 46.55 Music: Meditation from Thais
Britney Simpson/Matt Blackmer (not on ISP, but new junior team, she competed on Sr Grand Prix)
SP Score: 39.16
Olivia Oltmanns/Josh Santillan
SP Score: 40.13

Junior Dance SD & FD
Jessica Mancini/Tyler Brooks

For a full list of competitors, see http://unseenskaters.wordpress.com/

US Nationals: Junior Ladies Free Skate

1. Ashley Cain: 45.74 TES + 44.35 PCS -1.00 = 89.09 Total: 137.44 
1. She is skating to Music of the Night and is currently in 7th place
2. Her feet get tied up on her first jump and she puts her hands down
3. She recovers with a nice triple jump
4. She needs to straighten her free leg in the sit spin position
5. She lands a very nice double axel
6. Another nice triple
7. A nice triple double combination but a little tight on the second landing
8. A really pretty layback spin but the biellman position needs a little work
9. She has a nice arabesqe spiral position
10. A nice double axel + double + double combination
11. A really nice step sequence into her final combination spin and I'd like to see a little more flexibility in the catch foot position
12. A solid program and kudos to her for skating a virtually clean program after her pairs short program this afternoon
2. Haley Dunne: 44.93 TES + 41.54 PCS = 86.47 Total: 132.57 and into 2nd place 
1. She is skating to the Plaza of Execution and is currently in 9th place
2. She opened with a nice triple
3. Another nice triple
4. She popped her next jump into a single
5. She has some nice sit spin positions
6. A nice arabesque spiral position for her
7. Triple + double + double combo
8. Nice positions on her layback spin but I'd like for her to fix her hands
9. A nice double axel + double combo
10. Another nice triple for her and she follows up with a solid double axel
11. Nice positions in her combination spin and good speed, although she loses her centering in her final upright position
3. Nina Jiang: 42.13 TES + 40.68 PCS -1.00 = 81.81 Total: 128.55 and into 3rd place 
1. She is skating to Ladies in Lavender and is currently in 8th place
2. She falls on her opening triple jump
3. Spread eagle into a triple + double combo
4. A nice fast rotation in her next triple jump
5. A nice wrapped arm positon in her layback spin and she maintains her speed into the Biellman
6. I'd like to see her really push through this step sequence and really cover the ice
7. She pops her next jump
8. A very nice triple double combination
9. Nice fast sit spins
10. Nice triple + double + double combination
11. A good double axel
12. Final combination spin starts with a nice camel position, good sit spins and an upright spin that never reaches the full catch foot extended position
4. Alison Timlen: 29.87 TES + 40.57 PCS = 70.44 Total: 115.64 and into 4th place 
1. She is skating to Victory at Sea and is currently in 10th place
2. She starts her program with her sit spin
3. She starts her jumps with a nice double axel
4. A little crooked in the air and puts a hand down on the first jump of her triple double combo
5. This step sequence seems very slow and small and I'd like her to put some power behind her steps
6. Landed a little low on her next triple
7. Some nice positions in her combination spin, especially in the layback position
8. A little crooked on the next triple but she hangs on to the landing
9. Two foots the triple in her triple double combo
10. Two foots and hands down on the landing of her triple
11. Nice height on her double axel
12. She seems to be running out of steam here at the end of her program but has nice speed in her camel spin
5. Elise Eng: 24.28 TES + 37.50 PCS -2.00  = 59.78 Total 103.02 and into 5th place 
1. She is currently in 11th place
2. She steps out of the landing of her first triple
3. She falls on the landing of her second triple
4. She falls on her double axel--the poor girl is having a rough skate but she seems to actually be fully rotating and landing these jumps, perhaps a confidence issue or her feet are just not under her today
5. A nice recovery to land a double jump
6. She has pretty positions in her spins and she is a fast spinner
7. Slight two footed landing on her next triple
8. A lot of reaching down in her step sequence but some nice accents with the music
9. Nice air position on her double axel but she turns out of the landing
10. Double double combination with a step out on the landing
11. Nice position in her camel spin, good low sit spin and nice flexibility in her upright spin all with good speed
6. Nicole Rajic: 24.44 TES + 33.71 PCS -3.00 = 55.15 Total: 90.78 and into 6th place 
1. She is skating to La Boheme and is currently in 12th place
2. She slips on the take off of her first jump and falls
3. She falls on the landing of her triple jump
4. Another fall on her next triple--I think the first slip really threw off her concentration but the audience is getting behind her
5. Some good positions in her sit spin
6. She lands a nice double jump
7. Double double and she hangs onto the landing of the second jump
8. She lands a nice double axel double combination
9. Nice speed through her spins but I'd like to see her stretch more through her free leg; you don't see many ladies doing the triangle position in their spins
10. Her step sequence seems a little slow
11. Low landing on her second double axel and she has to put her free leg down
12. I'd like to see her have a more definitive arm in her layback position
7. Lauren Dinh: 57.64 TES + 44.84 PCS -1.00 = 101.48 Total: 153.99 and into 1st place 
1. She is skating to Danse Macabre and is currently in 3rd place
2. She is starting with her layback spin and she is a very fast spinner and has some nice flexibility in her Biellman but I'd like to see her stretch her leg a little more
3. She falls on her first triple
4. Nice triple flip double toe
5. A very solid double axel
6. A very nice triple
7. A nice triple toe double toe
8. A nice low sit spin position but she could use a little more stretch through her free leg
9. A nice triple jump
10. Triple, double, double loop combo
11. Some interesting mores in her step sequence and I'd like to see her really put more into this sequence
12. Nice positions in her combination spin and great speed
8. Courtney Hicks: 62.37 TES + 51.01 PCS -1.00 = 112.38 Total: 173.22 and into 1st place
1. She is skating to Malaguena and is currently in 1st place
2. Great triple triple to start her program
3. A nice triple salchow
4. Great position in her layback spin but I'm still not crazy about her Biellman posiion
5. A nice easy double axel
6. I'd like to see a better camel position from her but the donut position is nice
7. Triple double double combination nicely done and very solid
8. Triple triple sequence
9. A fall on her triple lutz
10. Nice difficulty in her step sequence
11. Her final combination spin including the position she has invented called the Tw-Hicks
9. Mary Beth Marley: 44.17 TES + 45.10 PCS -1.00 = 87.27 Total: 137.82 and into 3rd place 
1. She is skating to Jealousy and is currently in 4th place
2. She starts with her double axel and turns out of the landing but doesn't put her free leg down
3. She falls on her first triple jump
4. She skates with so much speed
5. A little low on the landing of her next triple but she hangs on to it
6. A nice double axel double toe combination
7. She has great positions in her spins, nice flexiblity and good speed
8. A turn out of the first jump in her triple double combination but she keeps her free leg up
9. She falls on her next triple
10. A beautiful triple jump with a nice landing to recover
11. Really pretty layback positions and a nice Biellman
12. I really like the intensity with which she skates her step sequence and she has a really nice presence on the ice throughout this program
13. Great sit spin positions
10. McKinzie Daniels: 47.82 TES + 42.23 PCS -1.00 = 89.05 Total: 138.59 and into 3rd place
1. She is skating to Spartacus and is currently in 5th place
2. I really like her dress and it's very unique
3. She opens with a nice double axel double toe
4. She falls on her triple flip
5. Double toe double toe combination
6. I'm not crazy about the illusions that so many of the skaters are adding to their spin combinations especially since they can't execute them in a full split position
7. Not a lot of energy in this step sequence
8. A nice triple salchow
9. Another nice triple jump
10. Nice layback spin combination
11. Another nice triple jump
12. Nice landing on her final triple
13. Good positions in her sit spins to end the program
11. Polina Edmunds: 41.39 TES + 42.74 PCS = 84.13 Total: 132.91 and into 6th place 
1. She is skating to Come Fly with Me and Putting on the Ritz and is currently in 6th place
2. Nice solid triple to open her program
3. Her feet get tangled up in her next triple and she puts her hand down
4. Nice easy triple for her to recover
5. She has great spin positions and good speed but I'd like to see her work on her centering and the exit from the spin
6. Nicely rotated double axel double axel sequence
7. Really nice Biellman position in her layback spins
8. Triple double loop double loop combination
9. Good triple double combination but a little tight on the landing
10. I'd like to see her look up more and really perform this step sequence
11. Nice triple jump
12. I'd like to see a little more stretch through her free leg in the final sit spin
12. Katarina Kulgeyko: 47.66 TES + 45.88 PCS = 93.54 Total: 146.62 and into 3rd place 
1. She is skating to Nightmare Before Christmas and is currently in 2nd place
2. Did she delete a jump at the beginning?  It looked like she set up for one and skipped it
3. Her first jump was a double axel + triple toe
4. Nice spin combination
5. Triple double combination
6. She gets really low in her sit spin positions but a little bobble on the way out
7. Double jump
8. Double axel triple sequence but she turned out of the second jump
9. I'd like to see more energy and more performance from her in this step sequence
10. She has really nice landings on all those triple jumps
11. Double jump
12. Nice layback spin with a geat Biellman position

US Nationals: Junior Ladies Short Program

1. Haley Dunne: 24.81 TES + 21.29 PCS = 46.10
1. She executed a triple toe + double toe, triple loop, Level 4 Layback Spin, Level 2 Circular Step Sequence, Double axel, Level 2 Camel Spin, and Level 3 combination spin with only two negative GOEs.
2. Polina Edmunds: 28.52 TES + 20.26 PCS = 48.78
1. She executed a triple loop, Level 4 layback spin, triple toe + double toe, double axel, Level 4 camel spin, Level 3 circular step sequence, and Level 4 combination spin with only one negative GOE. 
3. Alison Timlen: 22.70 TES + 22.50 PCS = 45.20
1. She executed a Level 2 circular step sequence, triple lutz (under-rotated) + double toe, triple loop (under-rotated), Level 4 camel spin, Level 2 layback spin, double axel, and Level 4 combination spin with only two negative GOEs. 
4. Ashley Cain: 27.46 TES + 20.89 PCS = 48.35 
1. She executed a triple lutz + double toe, triple loop, Level 3 camel spin, double axel, Level 2 layback spin, Level 3 circular step sequence, and level 4 combination spin with only two negative GOEs.
5. McKinzie Daniels: 28.98 TES + 20.56 PCS = 49.54
1. She executed a triple loop, triple lutz, double toe, Level 3 straight line step sequence, Level 3 camel spin, double axel, Level 3 combination spin and Level 4 layback spin with only two negative GOEs.
6. Nicole Rajic: 18.26 TES + 18.37 PCS -1.00 = 35.63
1. She executed a triple lutz + double toe, triple loop (under-rotated), Level 2 camel spin, Level 2 straight line step sequence, Level 4 combination spin and Level 2 layback spin with two positive GOEs.  She had one fall and did not complete the required double axel.
7. Nina Jiang: 27.04 TES + 20.70 PCS -1.00 = 46.74 
1. She executed a triple loop, triple toe + double toe, Level 3 layback spin, Level 2 camel spin, Level 3 straight line step sequence, double axel, and Level 3 combination spin with only one negative GOE.  She had one fall. 
8. Mary Beth Marley: 28.32 TES + 22.23 PCS = 50.55 and into 1st place
1. She executed a triple lutz + double toe, triple loop, double axel, Level 4 layback spin, Level 2 straight line step sequence, Level 3 camel spin and Level 4 combination spin with only two negative GOEs.
9. Katarina Kulgeyko: 30.60 TES + 22.48 PCS = 53.08 and into 1st place 
1. Nice fast rotation on opening triple double combo with tano variation
2. Nice solo triple
3. Very nice double axel
4. Nice positions in her spins
5. She also has nice speed through her spins
6. I like her presence on the ice and she injects a lot of personality into her program
7. Great speed through her Biellman position in the layback spin
10. Lauren Dinh: 29.79 TES + 22.72 PCS = 52.51 and into 2nd place
1. Nice solo triple to start her program
2. Triple double combination
3. Nice fast combination spin but I'd like her to straighten her bottom leg in the catch foot spin
4. Nice double axel
5. Good camel spin
6. I like this footwork sequence but the arms seem very repetitive
7. Nice position in her layback spins but she could work on really extending her Biellman
11. Elise Eng: 23.09 TES + 21.15 PCS -1.00 = 43.24 and into 10th place 
1. She is 15 years old and skating to Love Story
2. She opens with a nice double axel
3. She falls on her next triple jump
4. Great fast rotation on her triple double combination
5. Nice positions in her layback spin and great speed even through the Bielmann
6. I like her footwork sequence but I'd like her to really extend through her free leg; it also seems to be performed toward the ice rather than the audience
7. Nice position in her camel spin
8. A decent spiral position during a musical highlight
9. Great speed in her final combination spin but it takes her a little long to straighten her bottom leg in her leg catch position
12. Courtney Hicks: 35.87 TES + 24.97 PCS = 60.84 and into 1st place 
1. She is 15 and skating to Dark Eyes
2. Nice triple triple combination to start off
3. Good double axel
4. Solid triple jump
5. Her layback positions are gorgeous and so much speed--she needs to work on really extending her Biellman though
6. Her chest looks a little low in her camel spin but the donut position is nice
7. She's really putting a lot into this footwork sequence and it's nice to see it being executed with a lot of energy
8. Her sit spin variation looks like it belongs to a contortionist and is very unique