Four Falcons Earn First-Place Marks at Temple

Jan. 25, 2009

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Backed by three individual titles and the top all-around score, the Air Force men's gymnastics team set a season-best score of 325.900 in a dual meet against Temple on Sunday, Jan. 25, in Philadelphia, Pa. While the Owls (327.200) edged the Falcons by a narrow margin, Air Force upped its season-high mark by nearly two points.

Freshmen claimed two of the team's three event titles during the Falcons' first dual meet of the 2009 season. Chase Nobles tied for the top score on the pommel horse, while Jacob Houder won the parallel bars. Nobles' pommel horse score of 13.700 matches a career high and the second-best total in Academy history. Houder improved his score on the parallel bars to 13.850 to claim the title outright on that event.

Senior Jake Schonig won the Falcons' other individual event title, taking first on the still rings with a score of 14.050. In addition, sophomore Nash Mills won the all-around in his collegiate debut in the multi-event competition. Mills, who tied for third on the high bar (13.250) with freshman Joel Uptmor, tallied a combined all-around mark of 78.200 to earn the first-place score.

Houder had an impressive outing at Temple, claiming two additional top-three finishes. Houder placed second on the high bar with a score of 13.750, while also taking a third-place score of 13.550 on the pommel horse. His pommel horse score is a new career-high and tied for the fourth-best total in program history.

Sophomore Aaron Zaiser was the runner up in a pair of events. Matching his season-best score on the floor exercise (14.200), he finished just .100 off the meet winner. Zaiser also placed second on the vault with a total of 15.150.

Air Force returns to the Academy on Saturday, Jan. 31, when it hosts service academy rival Army in the Cadet West Gym. Prior to the 2 p.m. meet, the Falcons will honor its two seniors, Schonig and Josiah Loeser.

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