Second rotation, ups and downs

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PHILADELPHIA -- This Olympic trials is also something of a test run for the younger girls who will be moving up to take the place of the veteran exodus that occurs after every Olympics.

Mattie Larson from Los Angeles, Chelsea Davis who is coached by former world champion Kim Zmeskal, and 16-year-old Mackenzie Caquatto of Naperville, Ill., are three girls singled out by Bela Karolyi as competitors who he expects to be mainstays on the way to 2012.

Caquatto had the tough assignment Friday of being first up on the balance beam. She made it through her nervewracking series of pirouettes and somersaults until the end. Caquatto stumbled off the mat on her dismount.

UP: Chellsie Memmel powered through her balance beam routine, solidly landing breathtaking skills like her standing Arabian somersault and making all her connections. When she finished her father and coach Andy gave the crowd a pump fist. Memmel scored 16.000. She’s finished her toughest two events and scored 16 and over on both.

Shawn Johnson owned the balance beam. The beam was rattled by the power of Johnson’s confident landings Her score of 16.250 Up immediately after Johnson was Alicia Sacramone who offered some sassy twists and wiggles to spice up her solid skills.

Ivana Hong nailed her landing on uneven bars and posted a 15.200. She has gradually raised her score over the two rounds of nationals and this first of two nights of Olympic trials. She got a 14.950 and then a 15.100 at nationals in Boston earlier this month.

DOWN: Only because she raised expectations by scoring over 17 twice at nationals, Nastia Liukin didn’t keep her legs together on a handstand and lost her landing and came down on her knee on the landing. Even so she scored 16.700 though radio commentators Shannon Miller and Brett McClure both opined that Liukin was overscored.

Mattie Larson’s legs were shaking during her balance beam routine and three times she needed to fight those nerves to stay upright. Her score dropped from a 14,800 on the last night of the national championships to a 14.400 tonight. Olympic selectors want to see improvement from everybody.

After two rounds Memmel was the overall leader with a score of 32.150 followed by Johnson at 31.950 and Liukin with 31.700. The top two all-around scorers will earn automatic Olympic team berths after Sunday’s final round.

-- Diane Pucin