For most spectators, the most exciting 90 seconds in gymnastics come during the floor routine. It’s a time when gymnasts can strut their stuff to the pulsating rhythms of any song they please, and it draws the most attention from watchful eyes.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the gymnasts enjoy that aspect the most.

“For me, it’s beam” Lawrence High senior Mallory West said. “It’s not as harsh on my body.”

“I like the vault, just because it’s my best event,” Free State High sophomore Drue Davis said. “A lot of girls don’t really like floor because it’s really hard to tumble on.”

Still, it was the floor exercise that decided final scores at Saturday’s six-team Free State Invitational, keeping fans on alert until the very end. Lawrence High and Free State High were the final two teams to perform, and each needed good showings to move up in the team standings. The Lions did well enough to claim second place with 101.225 points, and the Firebirds were fourth with 93.5 points. Shawnee Mission Northwest won with 102.550, just over one point more than LHS.

Individually, West led the way for Lawrence and Free State, finishing the all-around performance in second place. The Lions and Firebirds took six of the top 10 all-around scores.

West, whose floor music consisted of a classical Mozart medley, was happy with both her individual execution and the team’s performance.

“We did really well,” West said. “And we’re improving every meet.”

Coach Kathy Johnson, who coaches both Lawrence and Free State, saw it the same way.

“I think they did fine today,” Johnson said. “They had some falls on beam, but overall they had good meets, and both teams scored well, so they’re making progress, and that’s all we can ask.”

Davis’ best showing came on the vault, where she finished in second place with a 9.1. LHS teammates Rachel Rassmussen and Maria Carvajal had the other Lawrence and Free State top-three finishes, tying for third on the bars with scores of 8.025.

Floor routine medleys during the day ranged from classical music to hip-hop, and Davis even managed to sneak in the Chips Ahoy theme song.

Johnson said all four gymnastics events – floor, beam, vault and bars – bring their own unique level of excitement. But she can’t fault fans for siding with the floor exercise.

Why?

“Gymnasts don’t have to worry about staying on a four-inch beam four feet off the ground and falling,” she said. “They just let loose and go for it.”