Pair promotes junior achievement

Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker show their championship form, which won't be seen at worlds because of her age (15). (eric miller/Reuters)

ST. PAUL - Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker made a Great Leap Upward at the Xcel Energy Center yesterday afternoon, dethroning Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski to become the first pairs skaters in more than a half-century to win the US title a year after they'd been junior champions.

"It sounds so weird to hear that," said the 15-year-old McLaughlin, after she and her 21-year-old partner became the youngest victors since Kristi Yamaguchi and Rudy Galindo in 1989. "I can't believe we're national champions."

Not since Nancy Rouillard and Ron Ludington in 1957 had a pair just up from juniors leapfrogged everybody. But since McLaughlin was born after the July 1 age deadline, she and Brubaker (who's named after legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne) aren't eligible to compete in the March world championships.

"Of course, we'd love to go to worlds, but it's kind of a blessing in disguise because we get another year to grow," said McLaughlin. "We want to be the first American team to win the Olympics. That's our dream."

Baldwin pops question

Finishing second were two-time former champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin, who'd been practicing for only a fortnight after spending the fall season touring. "It's just a huge accomplishment for us to be here," said the 34-year-old Baldwin, who, with the 31-year-old Inoue, has won medals at six straight nationals.

Immediately after they'd finished their long program, Baldwin dropped to one knee at center ice and proposed to Inoue, who, after her initial befuddlement, accepted. "I was just so shocked," said Inoue, who has been skating with Baldwin for eight years. "I didn't know what was going on here. Of course, I said yes."

High fives

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto last night became the fourth couple to win five straight dancing titles, joining Judy Schwomeyer-James Sladky (1968-72), Judy Blumberg-Michael Seibert (1981-85), and Naomi Lang-Peter Tchernyshev (1999-2003). Elizabeth Punsalan-Jerod Swallow also won five during the '90s, but not consecutively.

"It feels even better than four," said the 23-year-old Belbin, after she and the 26-year-old Agosto had beaten Meryl Davis and Charlie White. "It just feels great because of the performance we did. It was amazing."

The Olympic silver medalists, who led throughout the week, cemented their victory with an elegant free dance to a Chopin piano concerto medley. "With Meryl and Charlie skating the way they did, it was awesome," said Belbin, who with Agosto has finished no worse than second in their eight senior nationals.

Also making the world team were Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre, who benefited from the injury absence of perennial runners-up Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov to finish third.

Carriere in position

Wakefield native Stephen Carriere, who's in third place behind three-time victor Johnny Weir and defending champion Evan Lysacek going into this afternoon's men's finale, was more than content with his solid short program, which included a triple flip-triple toe combination. "The triple-triple was huge, because all season it's been a triple-double and I've been killing myself," said the Boston College freshman, who'll make the world team if he holds his place. "I was pretty surprised and satisfied with my point total and placement."