Intermediate Pairs Free
Faye Kropf and Sasha Lunin didn't disappoint on Saturday morning. The favorites coming into the event lived up to the hype when they took the ice in the intermediate pairs free skate.
The Fort Wayne ISC representatives won the intermediate pairs title in their first season competing in the pairs discipline after having just teamed up in April. Lunin competed at the 2018 U.S. Championships in singles. Kropf still competes singles, in addition to pairs with Lunin.
The duo topped the field by nearly ten points, earning 78.75 points.
"This feels incredible after only a year of skating pairs," Lunin said. "This gives us a lot of momentum headed into next season. This has been a hard switch and it really an amazing feeling to accomplish this."
The tandem completed two Level 4 lifts and also landed a side-by-side double Axel-double toe loop combination. They led the field in program components marks as well.
The pair plans to compete at the junior level next season.
Natasha Mishkutionok and Daniel Tioumentsev of Dallas FSC took the silver medal with 68.81 points. Their finish marks the second consecutive U.S. medal for the duo, as they took the juvenile pairs title in San Jose in 2018.
The duo also was awarded two Level 4 lifts, and completes a double Lutz-double toe loop combination.
The brother and sister duo from the Seattle SC, Kayla and Kamden Black, earned the bronze medal with 68.61 points.
Their program was highlighted by three lifts, including an opening Group 4 Level 3 lift which garnered nearly six points.
Aleksandra Prudsky and Enoch Chen from the SC of Houston rounded out the podium in fourth place with 56.79 points.
Juvenile Pattern Dance
The juvenile ice dance competition kicked off on Saturday morning with the Willow Waltz and the Tango Fiesta in the pattern dance competition.
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Olivia Ilin and Dylan Cain (Washington FSC)
Olivia Ilin and Dylan Cain of Washington FSC lead after the juvenile pattern dance with 37.45 points.
"We really like having the expression," Ilin said. "This is one of my favorite dances because it's so sharp. We love to skate and express ourselves."
"Our skate went well today," Cain said. "I'm happy with how we skated. We are at our last U.S. Championships until we reach junior and senior so we really want to cherish this experience."
The duo finished sixth in 2018.
Kiana Pan (Northern Ice SC) and Ilya Mondrowski (Skokie Valley SC) are just off the lead after scoring 36.18 points. The team earned the highest combined program components marks in the pattern dance.
Austin FSC's Rhiannon Rodriguez Avellan and Rogue Rodriguez Avellan are in third place heading into Sunday's free dance after earning 34.77 points.
"That was fun," Rogue said after the duo's U.S. Championships debut. "It felt really great. We've been to sectionals before, but this is completely different from that."
"This is a nerve wracking competition, but it's great to see all of the other sectional champions," Rhiannon said.
 Vanessa Pham (Memorial FSC Of Houston) and Jonathan Rogers (Texas Gulf Coast FSC) are in fourth with 34.18 points.
