Bayou Big Cubes 2024

Forty-one competitors gathered on March 9, 2024, at the Denham Springs High School STEM and Robotics Center, bringing rapid progression and sharp focus to the tables. The single-day speedcubing meet delivered 14 rounds across six different events, testing mastery on everything from the traditional Rubik's Cube to towering big cubes and twelve-sided puzzles. With a packed schedule and a dense field of developing talent, the action in Denham Springs, Louisiana, USA proved how quickly the next generation of solvers is accelerating their pace.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 40 entrants across three rounds of intense solving. Dylan Miller took top honours, logging a blistering 5.83 winning average in the final round alongside the day's best single of 4.46. Teri McAcy secured the runner-up spot with an 8.68 average, while Shahir Latif joined the podium in third place at 9.51. Across all three rounds of classic speed cubing, competitors registered sharp drops in times, making the 3x3 results a showcase of top-tier consistency and rapid execution.

Dylan Miller continued his winning form across the mid-range puzzles, capturing first place in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 29.02 winning average and a single of 26.08 across three full rounds. In that final, Teri McAcy took second place with a 33.42 average, followed by Wesley Grady in third at 39.86. Miller also topped the Megaminx standings through two rounds of play, posting a winning average of 39.30 and a best single of 33.49 to finish ahead of Melanie Barber and Jacob Russell.

The larger puzzles belonged entirely to Teri McAcy, who swept the three biggest cubes on the schedule with outstanding control. In the 5x5x5 Cube, McAcy claimed victory with a 55.37 average, holding off Dylan Miller who averaged 58.46, with Ordway Persyn taking third in 1:12.18. McAcy then doubled down in the 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:49.49 and a fast single of 1:40.91, while Persyn placed second in 2:08.19 and Elliott Ashe secured third in 2:16.82.

The 7x7x7 Cube closed out the big cube rotation with another commanding performance from Teri McAcy, who won with an average of 2:49.23 and a best single of 2:46.89. Ordway Persyn once again stepped onto the podium in second place with a 3:09.00 average, followed by Elliott Ashe in third with 3:25.31. The event concluded an impressive clean sweep of the three largest hardware events for McAcy at this WCA competition.

Away from the top steps of the podium, significant individual milestones highlighted the depth of the roster. Neil Witherow cut his 5x5x5 Cube personal best to 2:37.23, an improvement of 37.6 percent over his previous mark, while also dropping his 4x4x4 Cube best by 25 percent to 1:05.47. Elliott Goodson delivered a major leap in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a personal best of 35.24 that was 31.6 percent faster than before. Cooper Landry took on three events and lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best to 13.51, a 21.9 percent reduction, while also making first ever attempts at 4x4x4 Cube and Megaminx. John Young logged a personal best of 11.56 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 21.3 percent faster than his past record, alongside a first ever attempt in the 5x5x5 Cube at 1:46.32.

That same drive was evident across multiple puzzle categories for solvers testing their skills at this cubing competition. Elijah Matzke entered five events, claiming seventh place in the 3x3x3 Cube while dropping his personal bests by 20.5 percent in 3x3x3 Cube to 8.74, 18.7 percent in 4x4x4 Cube to 56.17, and 18.7 percent in 5x5x5 Cube to 2:21.46. Noah Green achieved a personal best of 40.89 in the 4x4x4 Cube, 19 percent faster than his previous best, and placed fifth in Megaminx. Brayson Boykin tackled five events, completing a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube in 5:47.14, a first Megaminx attempt in 2:06.84, and a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:08.56. Daphne Stevenson made a memorable debut in five events, posting first ever attempts of 1:04.56 in 4x4x4 Cube, 2:02.71 in 5x5x5 Cube, and 3:06.13 in Megaminx.

By the time the final awards were distributed, Bayou Big Cubes 2024 had demonstrated both elite dominance and remarkable individual progression across Louisiana and the wider southern region. Solvers pushed hardware to its limits, shaving seconds off prior benchmarks and expanding their repertoires to larger cubes. As the 2024 season moves forward, the swift drops in times across the field signal that the next gathering will see even higher standards across every discipline.

With 18 podium spots claimed and scores of personal records logged in Denham Springs, Bayou Big Cubes 2024 served as a clear marker of rising talent. From debut solvers stepping up to new puzzles to experienced finalists executing sub-six averages, the event celebrated the dedicated work that defines competitive solving.