What to expect from Watertown and other area gymnasts in 2022-23?
It's going to be an interesting winter for perennial powers Watertown and Deuel as well the other area high school gymnastics programs in northeastern South Dakota.
Watertown and Aberdeen Central each are again competing in Class AA along with Britton-Hecla, Deuel, Estelline-Hendricks, Milbank Area and Sisseton in Class A.
Sioux Falls O'Gorman captured its first state Class AA title last February since 2005, snapping a 16-year stretch that included seven titles each from Watertown and Mitchell and two by Rapid City Central.
In Class A, Madison snapped Deuel's four-year reign. Since 1995, Madison has won 21 state titles and Deuel seven. No other school has won.
Can Watertown bounce back this winter?
The problem with being so good for so long is that an uncharacteristic fourth-place finish in the state meet can be compared to falling off a cliff.
Watertown did place fourth in the 2022 state Class AA meet behind O'Gorman, Mitchell and Harrisburg. It was the Arrows' lowest finish since taking fourth in both 2015 and 2016.
Bouncing back won't be easy since Myah Morris, the most decorated gymnast in the history of the program, has graduated.
"It's going to be a little bit of a rebuilding year for us," said Watertown head coach Vicky Fisher. "Our primary focus is going to on our team. With all the new faces, we just need to focus on us."
The returning cast includes senior Caroline Benson, juniors Kinsley Van Gilder and Kaitlynn Rudebusch and eighth-graders Briana McElhany and Ashtynn Andrews. Senior Ashley Stanley, who missed most of last season with injuries, also is back.
Sophomore Marli Wadsworth and eighth-graders Tai Engels and Shauna Evenson spearhead a group of newcomers for Fisher and assistant Tammy Rohde.
"It's going to be a little different than last year when Myah scored big on events and we'd have a mix of scores after that," said Fisher. "This year we have a number of gymnasts who should put together similar scores. Consistency is going to be the key for us and that's where our downfall was last year in some events."
Fisher said the team's strongest events should be the balance beam and floor exercise. The uneven bars will be the event that needs the most improvement.
"I know what you think about Watertown gymnastics," she added. "Just because we're not currently there doesn't mean we can't be there."
The Arrows open their season Saturday at the Lolly Forseth Invitational in Sioux Falls. Watertown will host two events this season, an invitational on Saturday, Jan. 21 and a triangular on Monday, Jan. 23. The ESD meet is set for Saturday, Feb. 4 at Pierre and the state meet for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10-11 at Aberdeen.
What are Aberdeen Central's chances?
The Golden Eagles weren't one of the eight teams to qualify for the state Class AA team competition and may be a couple of years away from making a move up.
Head coach Michelle Everson is working with a young squad that has only one senior (Masyn Schutter) and one junior (Johanna Jarrott).
Aberdeen Central opens its season Thursday with a dual at Jamestown, N.D. The Golden Eagles will host the Hub City Invite on Saturday, Dec. 10 and a triangular withy Pierre and Stanley County on Thursday, Jan. 5 before concluding their season by hosting the state meet.
How do the area Class A teams shape up?
Madison and Deuel have dominated Class A gymnastics in the state since the early 1990s and that may be the case again this winter, although the door could be open for other challengers.
Madison edged Deuel 126.55-125.4 on Tuesday in a season-opening dual at Clear Lake. Karlie Nelson won the balance beam (8.7) and floor exercise (9.2) and took second in the all-around (34.4) for Madison.
Caitlyn Steffensen's Deuel team was led by sophomore MaKia Moe, who won the vault (9.2), bars (8.65) and all-around (35.3). She placed second in the other two events. Junior Hope Bjerke and eighth-grader Hannah Cutshaw finished third (32.4) and fourth (29.94), respectively, in the all-around for the Cardinals.
Keep an eye on Estelline-Hendricks, which finished fifth (131.6) in last year's state meet. Other area teams Milbank Area placed seventh (130.45) and Britton-Hecla eighth (127.95).
Junior Sadie Johnson, the state all-around runner-up a year ago, is a key returnee for coach Sherri Johnson's Estelline-Hendricks team that also welcomes back senior Brynn Peterson and junior Kenzy Beare.
Kelly Wollschlager takes over the head coaching duties for Amber Fraasch at Milbank. Fraasch is now the assistant. Sophomore Hannah Brown is a returning state qualifier on Milbank's roster. Junior Aubrey Fraasch and senior Rylie Overby are not currently listed on the team's roster, but they are returning state place winners. Fraasch placed ninth in the all-around at state last winter.
Britton-Hecla also could be much improved. Head coach Angela Grupe's team returns state qualifiers in senior Maggie Kilker; juniors Kaegan Fredrickson, Sterling Mertens and Emma Kraft; and freshmen Abigail Lee and Ava Teveldal.
Sophomore Isabelle Skarnagel is a returning state qualifier for Sisseton head coach Brittany Klapperich.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Seven area schools, two in AA and five in A, to compete again this winter.
