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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1992)
--- Gymnasts take 2nd in championship meet Stanford upsets top-ranked NU By Chuck Green Senior Reporter Nebraska’s best ever was only good enough for second place in Friday night’s NCAA Men’s Gymnastics team championships at the Bob Dcvancy Sports Center. The top-rankod Comhuskcrs scored 288.95, which beat the Nebraska record of 288.15 set in 1988, and the NCAA record of 288.40 set earlier this sea son by Stanford. But No. 2 Stanford churned out a 289.575, shattering its own record by more than one point to win the school’s first national championship in gym nastics in front of 5,059 fans. The Cardinal was led by Jair Lynch, yvho scored 59.025 in the all-around competition. Lynch’s lowest score of the night was a 9.675 on the rings. Third-ranked Ohio Slate finished third with 286.250. Nebraska coach Franc is Allen was impressed with the talent displayed by the three teams, which were nar rowed from an eight-team field in Thursday night’s opening competi tion. “This is one of the best college gymnastics meets I’ve been in,” Al len said. “The most important thing, from my perspective, is that Stanford took the meet away from us. We didn’t give it away.” Nebraska’s second-place finish was the filth time the Huskcrs have been national runners-up. Nebraska has won seven national titles. Nebraska scored above 48 on ev ery event but the rings. The Huskcrs averaged 9.632 per event, while Stan ford gymnasts averaged 9.6525 per event. Nebraska s 48.50 on the pommel horse was good for a new school record, and several Huskers turned in career- and season-high scores Fri day night, including Dennis Harrison (9.85, parallel bars), Sumner Darling (9.525, rings), Richard Grace (9.775, parallel bars), Burkett Powell (9.65, parallel bars) and Richard Kieffer (9.825, high bar). Harrison said he had no regrets about finishing second in the team race. “This is the worst feeling I’ve ever had after a gymnastics meet,” he said. “Butwedidour best. I’m proud of the whole team in general. We showed our character out there tonight.” Allen agreed. “I couldn’t be much happier if we won,” he said. “They gave me the character I thought they had, and people who were here tonight had to be pleased with what they saw.” Stanford coach Sadao Hamada said the championship was a team effort, and that the 289.575 was “pretty much what the team projected” at the be ginning of the season. Cardinal senior Tim Ryan said he thought the meet was one of the most exciting ones he had ever been in volved in. “The team came together, and that’s what makes it so sweet,” Ryan said. “That and beating Nebraska in its own gym.” Ryan said Nebraska was very consistent throughout the meet, and that Stanford missed more often, but picked up the slack with good indi vidual performances. _ “We missed a few routines (Friday night), but when we hit, there’s noth ing more to be said,” Ryan said.' TEAM FINALS | 1 1. Stanford 289.575 2. Nebraska 288.95 3. Ohio State 286.250 EVENT CHAMPIONS Pommel horse-Che Bowers, Nebraska Floor exercise- Brian Winkler, Michigan Rings-Scott Keswick, UCLA Vault--Jason Hebert, Syracuse Parallel bars--Dom Minicucci, Temple High bar-*Jair Lynch, Stanford Scott Maurer/DN Shaun Sartn/DN Nebraska gymnast Dennis Harrison performs on the parallel bars in Saturday’s all-around competition at the NCAA championships at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Harrison finished fifth in the competition, earning All-America honors. Tired Husker claims 5th in gymnastic competition By Chuck Green Senior Reporter Dennis Harrison sal in the inter view room Saturday afternoon, sucking on his trademark post competition lollipop. Harrison, a sophomore who led the Comhuskcr men’s gymnastics team throughout the season, had just finished fifth in the NCAA all around championship competition with a combined compulsory and optional score of 113.950. He was exhausted. ‘*1 tried pretty hard to give it away,” Harrison said. ‘‘It was re ally tough coming back today.” It was the third lime Harrison had competed in 42 hours, count ing Thursday night’s team prelimi naries and Friday night’s team championships, in which Nebraska competed against Stanford and Ohio Slate. ”1 think everyone ran out of gas. especially ihcones who were in ihe learn competition last night,” Har rison said. “Everyone comes in here to pul everything they have into the team title. This was very tiring.” Minnesota’s John Rocthlisbcrgcr won the all-around title with 116.075, capturing the champion ship for the second consecutive year. He is only the ninth gymnast to win the all-around title more than once. Scott Keswick of UCLA was second, while Stanford’s Tim Ryan and Jair Lynch were third and fourth, respectively. Nebraska's Sumner Darling finished 18lh in the competition with a score of 109.750, while Husker Richard Grace was 23rd with a 55.975 in the oplionals only. Lynch, who generated an all around score of 59.025 during Fri day night’s team finals, agreed that the team race was a factor in Satur day’s competition. “Physically, I’m OK,” Lynch said. “Menially, lhai was a prob lem. I think it was because of the pressure of last nighl.” Rocthlisbcrgcr said this year’s championship was better than last year’s. “Any lime you go up against these guys, it’s lough, because they’re great gymnasts,” Roelhlis berger said. “I had a bit of an ad vantage because I didn’t have to compete in the team finals.” Fred Rocthlisbcrgcr, Minnesota’s coach and John’s father, said he was proud of his son’s perform ance. “I noticed right away, as soon as John got off the high bar and he knew he had the award, he turned to the team and pointed to them like, ‘Hey, guys, this is for all of us,”’ he said. 5 NU All-Americans churned out at meet By Chuck Green Senior Reporter Che Bowers saved his bcsl for Iasi. Bowers, a sophomore Comhuskcr gymnast, scored a school-record 9.90 to win the individual title in the pommel horse Saturday night in the NCAA individual championships at the Bob Dcvancy Sports Center. The mark broke Bowers’ previous career-high of 9.85, which he scored April 11 at the West Regional in Albuquerque, N.M. It also paved the way for four other Huskers to cam All-America status by finishing in the top six in their respective events. Bowers said he was pleased with his performance in the three-day championship meet at the sports cen ter. “Thursday, Friday and Saturday, my scores went up,” he said. “I just felt better each time. All the work has paid off.” Sumner Darling, Richard Kieffer and Josh Saegert ail set career-high scores Saturday night. Darling and -44 Thursday, Friday and Saturday, my scores went up. I just felt better each time. All the work has paid off. — Bowers, NU men s gymnast -f* - Sacgcrt scored 9.825 and 9.80 on the parallel bars, respectively. Kieffer, Bowers and Dennis Harri son became All-Americans on the high bar, finishing second, fifth and sixth respectively. Darling’s second-place finish on the parallel bars, coupled with Sacg ert’s fourth-place finish, earned Ne braska two All-Americans in the event. Other individual champions in cluded Michigan’s Brian Winkler (floor exercise); Scott Keswick, UCLA (rings); Jason Hebert, Syracuse (vault); Dorn Minicucci, Temple (parallel bar); and Jair Lynch, Stanford (high bar).
