Tide gymnasts ready to take on Auburn

TUSCALOOSA | Benjamin Franklin believed that death and taxes were the only two certainties in this world, but Franklin’s day ended long before the University of Alabama gymnastics team began competing against Auburn.

The third-ranked Crimson Tide will try for its 93rd consecutive victory over its cross-state rival tonight at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum on the AU campus. Alabama’s winning streak over Auburn dates back to 1980, when Sarah Patterson was in her second year as the Tide’s head coach.

Despite Alabama’s success in the series against Auburn, this meet still causes anxious moments for Patterson.

“I always have this uneasy feeling in my stomach,” she said, “whether I’m confident in what our team is doing at this time or I have question marks.

“I know that anytime you have had the level of success that we have had, one meet and that record is gone. From my perspective, it’s always in the back of my mind.”

So is what Auburn coach Jeff Thompson told Patterson a couple of years ago.

“It would make our entire season to beat you,” he said.

Said Patterson, “I guess that’s always stuck with me. We prepare as hard as we can. For us, this week I’m looking at this meet and the next week as we are building on a process that we began [in the season opener last] Friday night.

“We’re going to make some changes, but rest assured I’ll do everything I can to win.”

One thing Patterson has done to assure success is make careful selections in picking team captains this week. Jacqueline Shealy, daughter of former UA quarterback Steadman Shealy, is expected to compete only in an exhibition bars routine, but she has been selected as a captain.

“She will do a perfect job of explaining to Kayla Hoffman, who happens to be from New Jersey, and others what it means to beat Auburn.”

Two other gymnasts who come from families with a lot of Alabama fans — Ashley O’Neal and Amanda Montgomery — will also serve as captains.

Alabama will likely be without two-time Olympic silver medalist Terin Humphrey, who has been sidelined with back problems. She competed on uneven parallel bars in last weekend’s season-opening victory over Illinois, but is expected to sit this meet out.

Patterson expects freshman Kayla Hoffman and sophomores Kassi Price and Ricki Lebegern to compete in the all-around, with Lebegern the top candidate to take Humphrey’s spot in the bars lineup. Sophomore Morgan Dennis could also compete on all four events.

Patterson also wants to increase the difficulty of several routines, but only if she believes Alabama can perform the new skills well enough to win.

“I want to make steps forward,” she said, “but we would have to go down there and warm up with confidence and show we can do these things.

“I read a coach somewhere once said I would rather score 194 points and come out of there with a win. That’s the way I feel.”

Alabama scored 196.3 in its opener, the second-highest score in a season opener in UA history.

Both teams will wear pink leotards in the meet, which is a breast cancer awareness event.

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.