2020 Midwestern & Pacific Coast Sectional Championship Wrap-Up (IJS)

by Kennedy McKay

Last weekend, exciting competition took place in Wichita, Kansas at the 2020 Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships.  Teams in IJS divisions competed for qualifying spots to advance to the U.S. Championships in Providence, Rhode Island held at the end of February.

The Midwest intermediate competition was extremely tough; only four out of the 15 teams competing earned a trip to the U.S. Championships.  Teams Elite continued an undefeated season, earning 70.78 to defend their Sectional title with a fierce “Queen” program. The team received a massive technical element score of 41.44 and program component score of 29.34.  Capital Ice Chips, the silver medalists with 64.03, delivered a moving performance set to an “Amber Alert” theme and earned the highest-scoring intersection element which totaled 7.67 points. Starlights earned the bronze medal; their sassy “Battle of the Genders” skate scored 51.99. The team received the highest-valued travel element, executing a travel circle Level 4 that earned 6.00 points.  Crystallettes secured the last qualifying spot with 51.86. Chicago Skates and Dazzlers narrowly missed the podium, earning 51.83 and 51.64 respectively. Both teams delivered fantastic performances.

The top four Pacific Coast intermediate teams advanced to the U.S. Championships.  Pacific Edge won the gold medal, scoring 48.38 and earning the highest-valued intersection element, travel element, and artistic element.  Denver Synchronicity earned the silver medal with 45.62. Tremors of San Francisco claimed the bronze, receiving a total of 44.94 along with the highest-rated no hold element and pivot block.  Fusion secured the final qualifying spot with a total score of 44.28. The team executed the highest-scoring moves element and twizzle element. California Gold placed fifth with 42.14.

The top five Midwest novice teams advanced to the U.S. Championships. Teams Elite stormed the field, earning an unprecedented 97.09 to a fiery “Proud Mary” performance.  The team led the division by over 20 points, earning a technical element score of 49.73 and program component score of 47.36. Crystallettes placed second; their emotional “You Say” program earned 76.56. Hockettes’ “Empowerment” program launched the team to the bronze medal with 70.63. Starlights skated a passionate program to “Titanic” to earn the pewter medal and a score of 66.71. Northernettes’ fun “Pink Panther” program scored 65.28 to finish in fifth place and obtain the final qualifying position.  Wisconsin Inspire just missed a qualifying spot with a score of 65.02, but still delivered a wonderful performance. 

In the Midwest juvenile division, the top six of the nine teams moved forward to the U.S. Championships. Teams Elite added another gold medal to their collection, scoring 51.46 with their “Toy Soldier” program. Starlights’ “Villains” program followed in second place, totaling 42.98. Wisconsin Inspire took third with 40.50. The final three advancing teams were neck-in-neck for fourth through sixth place; Crystallettes edged into fourth with 39.63 and Saint Louis Synergy placed fifth with 36.53. Hockettes grabbed the final qualifying spot with a “Dreams and Nightmares” program that scored 39.15.

Fusion scored 26.90 in the Pacific Coast juvenile event and will move forward to the U.S. Championships.

The top five of seven Midwest adult teams qualified for the U.S. Championships.  Crystallettes claimed the Sectional title, scoring 55.43 with their fierce “Woman Power” program.  Starlights followed in second place as their exciting “Price of Fame” performance earned 48.06. Third place went to Allegro!.  The team’s “Seven Nation Army” skate totaled 44.25. United Ice rounded out the podium was United Ice, earning 37.94. Infinity Onyx grabbed the last qualifying spot in fifth place with 34.88.

California Gold’s “Austin Powers” skate stole the show in the Pacific Coast adult event, earning 51.10 for first place.  Denver Synchronicity earned 44.32 for second place, and Tremors of San Francisco scored 40.82 to finish in third place. All three teams will advance to the U.S. Championships.

In the Midwest masters division, Allegro! topped the field with 38.80 with their “Madonna” skate.  Goldenettes came in second, scoring 36.01 with a “Rock of Ages” performance. Starlights placed third with an “80’s Medley” program and 25.73.  Infinity Onyx finished in fourth with 23.45. All teams will compete again at the U.S. Championships.

All teams in the Pacific Coast masters division qualified for the U.S. Championships. IceSymmetrics won the event for the third time with a score of 34.09. Denver Synchronicity landed in second place with 31.66, and Washington Ice Emeralds earned 19.48.  

Miami University won the Midwest collegiate event with a sassy “Girl Gang” program that surpassed the 100-point mark, finishing with 100.32 to win another Sectional title.  With a fun “Aladdin” program, Adrian College earned the silver medal with 85.71. University of Michigan claimed bronze with a “Beatles” program, earning 84.35 and the highest-valued intersection Level 3 and pivot block element.  A total score of 80.52 earned Michigan State University the pewter medal. The team executed the highest-scoring intersection Level 4 element. Western Michigan University earned 69.85 for fifth place and Trine University ended in sixth with 50.82.  All teams move forward to the U.S. Championships.

Hockettes finished in first place overall in the Midwest junior division.  The team won the short program with a “Hawaiian” themed skate and 55.70, and their “Warrior” free skate placed second with 90.86.  Their overall score was 146.56. Northernettes placed second overall with 138.92. Skating to “Pirates of the Caribbean”, they finished second in the short program with 46.66.  The team won the free skate 92.26 with an exciting performance to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Dazzlers took third place overall. The team started off in third place after the short program with 46.59.  Their free skate earned 84.85 to end the competition with 131.44. Saint Louis Synergy placed fourth in the short program with 36.24 and third in the free skate with 89.98 to finish in fourth place overall.

Congrats to all teams on a successful season, and good luck to those competing at the U.S. Championships!  Don’t miss out on any of the action leading up to the U.S. Championships – follow Get It Called on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.