Competition is underway at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit! Junior-level skaters took the ice for the first time this week for the ladies and men's short programs.
Junior Ladies Short Program
Coming off a win at Eastern Sectional Championships, Gabriella Izzo of the Mitchell Johansson Method grabbed the lead in the short program, scoring a season-best 60.97 points. The 17-year-old opened her program with a difficult triple Lutz-triple loop combination for the first time this season.
"I have never done the [triple] Lutz-[triple] loop in competition, but coming back from sectionals I said, 'OK, I know I can do it, so let's just put it out there!'" explained Izzo.
In her beautiful rendition to "Summertime" by Rene Olstead, the Massachusetts native was awarded Level 4 marks on all of her elements, including her step sequence and three spins.
"Last year, I was doing an interpretive exercise and my coach played 'Summertime' and he liked what I did with it. Then, at the end of [last] season, we were in a scramble to find new music and a new program and I remembered that song," Izzo recalled. "We started with the original by Ella Fitzgerald, but thought it was a bit slow, and then [my coach] found this version and we fell in love with it."
Last season, Izzo finished sixth in the junior competition at U.S. Championships in San Jose, California. After a strong start in the short, she looks to secure her spot on top of the podium in tomorrow evening's free skate.
Just behind Izzo was Pacific Coast champion Emilia Murdock (SC of San Francisco) with 58.15 points in her short program. Murdock was thrilled to be back on Championship ice after a missed opportunity last season.
"I was really excited to get out here at nationals because I didn't make it last year," said 16-year-old Murdock. "Especially going into the short, I wanted to just enjoy every moment of it and really just soak it in. It was really fun to be out there."
The Boston-based skater completed a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination, followed by a triple flip to kick off her program. Like Izzo, she executed three Level 4 spins and a Level 4 step sequence.
"The footwork in my short is my favorite part because at that point I've done all of the hard stuff and IÂ can just have fun," she said. "That's when I really just enjoyed it and took it all in, the fact that I had made it back to nationals."
Also hailing from the Pacific Coast Sectional, Amie Miyagi secured the third spot with 56.25 points in her short program to "Once Upon a December" by Liz Callaway.
"I felt really good; it was the best of my season so far," Miyagi remarked.
The 15-year-old skater out of Salt Lake Figure Skating had a clean free skate with all positive Grades of Execution, landing two triple jumps and completing two Level 4 spins. After finishing third at Pacific Coast Sectionals, Miyagi and her family prepared to make the trip to Detroit to experience skating on the big stage.
"This is the first time I've gotten to compete in a big arena like this and it was really amazing," she said. "My grandparents and parents are here from Salt Lake City as well."
Representing Columbia Figure Skating Club in Maryland, Sarah Jung rounded out the top four after the short program with a score of 56.07. Jung also executed a clean short program, landing a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination followed by a triple flip and double Axel.
"I am pretty happy with my performance today," she expressed. "I think it was good for my first junior routine at nationals. Last year, I was in the novice competition. It was my first time at Championships and it was very nerve wrecking. This time, I felt a lot calmer. I loved the support and the audience really helped me today."
The junior ladies competition will conclude tomorrow night with the free skate at Little Caesars Arena.
Junior Men's Short Program
Joonsoo Kim from Los Angeles Figure Skating Club led the way in the junior men's competition, scoring 70.72 points in his short program. In his first Championships appearance at the junior level, the 18-year-old skater from Hinsdale, Illinois, had a flawless performance, securing all positive Grades of Execution in his clean skate. Â
"I felt really good," Kim remarked after stepping off the ice. "The short program has not been my strong suit for my entire skating career, so I feel good about what I put out there under this pressure. It's my first time skating under the bright lights in a big arena, so I feel really good about it and I feel very comfortable going into tomorrow."
Kim opened with a double Axel, followed by a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. He was awarded Level 4s on his three spins, as well as his step sequence, in his program 
to "Nero" by Thomas J. Bergersen.
"Right now, I'm in college, so the future of my skating career is still sort of a mystery," the University of California, Los Angeles freshman admitted. "So for now, I'm really happy I was able to put a good performance out there and prove to myself and others that I still belong in this sport. I still want to make progress moving forward."
Kim is currently studying neuroscience at UCLA while training for the U.S. Championshps.
Reigning U.S. junior pewter medalist Ryan Dunk (Baltimore FSC) moved into second place after the short program with 68.58 points. Dunk was the runner-up at Eastern Sectionals. The 18-year-old out of White Hall, Maryland, skated to "Illumination" by Jennifer Thomas.
"I think I got a little too excited [in my short] and I need to learn to calm down more even though it's nationals," Dunk explained. "I just need to focus and be more relaxed."
Dunk opened with a triple Axel and laded three more triple jumps throughout his performance. He was also awarded three Level 4 spins.
"I do a falling leaf on the climax of the music and there is a part where I do a stop on my toe to a piano 'ding' in the music and that is really fun," he described his favorite part of his program. "My choreographer is [former Team USA ice dancer] Colin McManus, but he lets me come up with a lot of my own ideas, which is fun for me."Â
The final skater to take the ice Tuesday night, Luke Ferrante from the Skating Club of Huntsville finished in third place after the short program with a 65.08-point skate. Coming off a tough 13th-place finish last season, Ferrante was thrilled to redeem himself on Championships ice.
"This year, I have had a lot more growth throughout the season, especially compared to last year, which was a rough season for me," he shared. "I just wanted to show everyone how much I've improved and prove it to myself, too."
The Alabama native performed a clean skate, including a triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination, triple flip and double Axel.
"The whole time, I felt very present and I was able to attack everything," he said. "It was so exhilarating in this arena; there was great energy."
2018 U.S. junior silver medalist Dinh Tran rounded out the top four, scoring 64.84 points for his David Bowie-inspired short program. Representing the Skating Club of San Francisco, Tran came out with a strong triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, but doubled an intended triple Axel.
"Today was alright. I had a major mistake with my triple Axel," Tran said post-skate. "But, I fought and I wanted to focus more on my spins and footwork and choreography. I think that held me up pretty well."
Still, the Bay Area native admitted: "I've learned my lesson that if I go for [the triple Axel] in the warm-up, then I will do it right in the program."
The junior men's competition will also conclude tomorrow night with the free skate, the final event of the night.
