Advertisement

Mitchell (AA), Estelline-Hendricks (A) capture state gymnastics titles

roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·6 min read
Mitchell captured the Class AA team title in the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.
Mitchell captured the Class AA team title in the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.

ABERDEEN — Mitchell used its depth to slip past defending champion Sioux Falls O'Gorman and return to the top of Class AA gymnastics on Friday

In the opening day for the South Dakota State Gymnastics Championships at Aberdeen Central High School, coach Audra Rew's Kernels compiled a score of 148.55 to edge O'Gorman (148.25) for the Class AA team championship.

The state title is the eighth, all since 2007, for Mitchell.

Sioux Falls O'Gorman's Audrey Meyer performs in the floor exercise during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.
Sioux Falls O'Gorman's Audrey Meyer performs in the floor exercise during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.

O'Gorman had the top scores in the eight-team field in the vault (37.533) and balance beam (37.167) and second-best scores in the uneven bars (35.883) and floor exercise (37.667). Mitchell was second in the vault (37.25) and balance beam (37.633) and third in the floor exercise (37.633). Harrisburg notched the top score in the floor (37.917).

The uneven bars proved to be the deciding factor for the Kernels, who compiled meet-best score of 37.183.

O'Gorman, led by senior standouts Audrey Meyer and Maeve Boetel, made a good run at a second-straight title before coming up short. Harrisburg finished third in the eight-team field with a score of 146.183, followed by Watertown (139.483), Sioux Falls Lincoln (139.67), Brookings (137.533), Sioux Falls Roosevelt (137.3) and Pierre (136.317).

Harrisburg's Katelyn Maeschen gets ready for her floor-exercise routine during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.
Harrisburg's Katelyn Maeschen gets ready for her floor-exercise routine during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.

Individually, Meyer recorded the best score in the uneven bars (9.65), floor exercise (9.817) and all-around (38.583). Boetel posted the top score in the vault (9.817) and balance beam (9.7) and was second in the all-around (38.383).

Mitchell's leaders included Olivia Prunty and Emily Moody. Prunty finished third (37.333) and Moody fifth (36.6) among the all-arounders. Kyra and Kyanna Gropper and Bentley Bates also were among the top-5 gymnasts in events for the Kernels.

Brinly Sanderson of Harrisburg had the fourth-best all-around score (36.733) in the competition.

Watertown finished fourth in the Class AA team competition during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.
Watertown finished fourth in the Class AA team competition during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.

Class A

For the first time since 1994, South Dakota has a state Class A team champion in gymnastics that isn't Madison or Deuel.

Estelline-Hendricks accomplished the feat on Friday by winning a highly-contest battle for the title. The Redhawks finished with a score of 138.917, followed by Chamberlain (137.117), defending champion Madison (136.817), Hot Springs (136.817), Deuel (135.617), Britton-Hecla (132.25), Parkston-Ethan-Hanson-Mount Vernon (131.217) and Wagner-Bon Homme (125.267).

Estelline-Hendricks won its first Class A team title during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.
Estelline-Hendricks won its first Class A team title during the 2023 South Dakota State High School Gymnastics Championships on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Aberdeen Central High School.

Estelline-Hendricks reported the top vault (36.567) and floor exercise (35.883) scores and also finished second in the balance beam (34.083) and third in the uneven bars (32.383).

Hot Springs had the top bars (33.0) score and Madison the top beam (34.617) score.

Junior Sadie Johnson led the way for coach Sherri Johnson's Estelline-Hendricks team. She notched the top vault (9.733), bars (8.85) and floor (9.683) scores and led all all-arounders with a 37.667 score.

MaKia Moe of Deuel (36.9), Karlie Nelson of Madison (36.067), Amelia Jones of Chamberlain (35.683) and London Sudbeck of Parkston-Ethan-Hanson-Mount Vernon (35.617) rounded out the top-5 all-around scores. Jones (9.333) had the top balance beam score.

Saturday's Individual Medalists

The meet concluded Saturday with the individual and all-around championships. Here are the medalists (top 10 per event). Maeve Boetel of O'Gorman repeated as the AA all-around champ and Sadie Johnson of Estelline-Hendricks won the top Class A all-arounder.

Boetel received two 10s and finished with a record score of 9.967 in the vault, breaking former O'Gorman gymnast Alex Hughes' 2004 state-meet record of 9.95.

Meyer set a new Class AA meet record by winning the floor exercise with a score of 9.9.

CLASS AA

Balance Beam: 1. Maeve Boetel, O'Gorman, 9.733; 2. Kyanna Gropper, Mitchell, 9.45; 3. (Tie) Ashlynn Andrews, Watertown, and Kiah Boetel, Harrisburg, 9.4; 5. Aubrey Meyer, O'Gorman, 9.36; 6. Sidney Malde, Mitchell, 9.35; 7. Emily Moody, Mitchell, 9.3; 8. (Tie) Layla Erickson, Brookings, and Briana McElhany, Watertown, 9.267; 10. Lilly Fenicle, SF Roosevelt, 9.233.

Maeve Boetel of Sioux Falls O'Gorman repeated as the Class AA all-around champion on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 during the final day of the State High School Gymnastics Championships at Aberdeen Central High School.
Maeve Boetel of Sioux Falls O'Gorman repeated as the Class AA all-around champion on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 during the final day of the State High School Gymnastics Championships at Aberdeen Central High School.

Floor Exercise: 1. Meyer, 9.9; 2. M. Boetel, 9.87; 3. Olivia Prunty, Mitchell, 9.767; 4. Moody, 9.75; 5. (Tie) Shauna Evenson, Watertown, and K. Boetel, 9.733; 7. Katelyn Maeschen, Harrisburg, 9.683; 8. Bentley Bates, Mitchell, 9.667; 9. Aubrey Gelderman, Mitchell, 9.65; 10. Ava Koeller, Yankton, 9.63.

Uneven Bars: 1. M. Boetel, 9.667; 2. Bates, 9.617; 3. Kyra Gropper, Mitchell, 9.4; 4. Prunty, 9.233; 5. Kyanna Gropper, Mitchell, 9.217; 6. Meyer, 8.983; 7. Moody, 8.9; 8. K. Boetel, 8.767; 9. (Tie) Grace Miller, O'Gorman, and Erickson, 8.75.

Vault: 1. M. Boetel, 9.967 2. Meyer, 9.7; 3. Maeschen, 9.65; 4. Prunty, 9.517; 5. Moody, 8.45; 6. Erickson, 9.283; 7. Kyanna Gropper, 9.25; 8. Delilah Fuls, Brookings; 9. Kyra Gropper, 9.183; 10. Tessa Allen, Mitchell, 9.1.

All-Around: 1. M. Boetel, 39.183; 2. Meyer, 37.95; 3. Moody, 37.4; 4. Kyanna Gropper, 37.317; 5. Prunty, 37.1; 6. Kyra Gropper, 36.87; 7. Erickson, 36.65; 8. K. Boetel, 36.63; 9. Maeschen, 36.4; 10. Brinly Sanderson, Harrisburg, 35.933.

CLASS A

Balance Beam: 1. Alexys Rueb, Wagner-Bon Homme, 9.233; 2. Kyla Biggins, Chamberlain, 9.2; 3. MaKia Moe, Deuel, 9.167; 4. Sadie Johnson, Estelline-Hendricks, 9.067; 5. Karlie Nelson, Madison, 9.05; 6. Lexi Hirsch, Madison, 8.83; 7. Serena Gapp, Vermillion, 8.8; 8. London Sudbeck, Parkston-Ethan-Hanson-Mount Vernon, 8.583; 9. Allison Hough, Chamberlain, 8.567; 10. (Tie) Amelia Jones, Chamberlain, and Payge Ebbers, Estelline-Hendricks, 8.5.

Sadie Johnson of Estelline-Hendricks won the Class A all-around title on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 during the final day of the State High School Gymnastics Championships at Aberdeen Central High School.
Sadie Johnson of Estelline-Hendricks won the Class A all-around title on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 during the final day of the State High School Gymnastics Championships at Aberdeen Central High School.

Floor Exercise: 1. Johnson, 9.767; 2. Moe, 9.583; 3. Jaylen Nachtigall, Hot Springs, 9.517; 4. Jones, 9.5; 5. Brynn Peterson, Estelline-Hendricks, 9.45; 6. Rueb, 9.433; 7. Nelson, 9.35; 8. Biggins, 9.3; 9. Hannah Cutshaw, Deuel, 9.267; 10. Sudbeck, 9.25.

Uneven Bars: 1. Moe, 8.85; 2. Johnson, 8.767; 3. Nelson, 8.75; 4. Biggins, 8.583; 5. Rueb, 8.5; 6. Peyton Stewart, Hot Springs, 8.45; 7. Hope Bjerke, Deuel, 8.417; 8. Elizabeth Holloway, West Central, 8.417; 9. Sterling Mertens, Britton-Hecla, 8.4; 10. Hough, 8.317.

Vault: 1. Johnson, 9.75; 2. Moe, 9.33; 3. Nachtigall, 9.133; 4. Piper Cordes, Wall-Kadoka Area-Philip, 9.083; 5. Nelson, 9.065; 6. Jones, 9.033; 7. Maggie Kilker, Britton-Hecla, 8.963; 8. Holloway, 8.933; 9. Rueb, 8.917; 10. Abigail Lee, Britton-Hecla, 8.83.

All-Around: 1. Johnson, 37.35; 2. Moe, 36.933; 3. Nelson, 36.2; 4. Rueb, 36.083; 5. Biggins, 35.867; 6. Nachtigall, 35.067; 7. Jones, 35.017; 8. Mertens, 34.95; 9. Gapp, 34.833; 10. Sudbeck, 34.767.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on Twitter @PO_Sports.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: O'Gorman's Boetel, Estelline-Hendricks' Johnson win all-around titles.