Ohio State’s top-ranked men’s gymnastics team remained undefeated Saturday at St. John Arena with a victory over Illinios in their highest scoring meet of the season. The win marked the Buckeyes’ eighth consecutive victory in a co-ed meet.
Only 1.2 points separated the No. 1 Ohio State men’s gymnastics team and No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini. The Buckeyes looked to keep their No. 1 ranking and maintained their undefeated record with a 220.200-219.000 victory over the Fighting Illini. OSU’s score was a team season high.
“I’m glad our guys didn’t miss enough to give it away, because they really wanted to win,” OSU coach Miles Avery said.
OSU won four of the six events. The team won the parallel and high bars, rings and floor exercise. The floor exercise was a close victory, decided by a difference of only .250 points.
Although the squad came first in the parallel and high bars, Avery said his gymnasts have to improve on those events as well as the pommel horse, one of the two losing events.
In the individual performances, junior Randy Monahan was the only Buckeye to win an event. Monahan won the all-around competition and the rings. He tied for the best score of the meet and for first place in the floor exercise with a 9.750.
“I had some pretty solid performances on the floor and rings,” Monahan said. “I was really happy with floor. To be able to come out here and hit a good routine and win was really good.”
Monahan said he had been struggling with the floor exercise because of lack of consistency.
However, one gymnast who did not appear to struggle was Illinois sophomore Justin Spring, who won four of six events to help the Fighting Illini almost pull out the upset.
Although only one Buckeye won an event, there were five who set personal records.
“To come out with a (team score of) 220, some guys are definitely going to have to step up and do personal bests as they did,” Avery said. “We had some really good individual performances.”
One of the five to set personal records was junior Cody Trobaugh, who tied a career-high on rings with a 9.600 and a 9.250 on the parallel bars. Trobaugh took second place in three events, including the vault.
“The good events basically were rings, vault and parallel bars,” Trobaugh said. “I’ve just been working on them in the gym.”
Trobaugh said he and his team have been fatigued and a little unhealthy going into the meet with Illinois. Trobaugh injured his shoulder in practice during the week prior to Saturday’s events.
“We got a little more rest, and I was a little more strong so that pretty much was the best thing,” he said. “That is what helped the most.”
Monahan set personal records in the floor exercise and in the rings with a 9.700. Senior Jamey Houle, sophomore Ronald Ferris and freshman Kristopher Kline also set career highs.
“It just shows all the work we’ve been putting in,” Monahan said. “We started out the season strong, and we’re just continuing on the same path.”
OSU will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the Winter Cup Challenge Friday and Saturday. The team will return to Columbus for a triangular meet with the University of California and Oklahoma University at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at St. John Arena.
