Gymnasts Ready For Region Meet

The Britton-Hecla gymnastics squad tuned up for the Region 1A regional meet this Thursday in Madison by battling some of the top teams in the state at their final regular season meet in Deuel on Saturday.

Coach Angela Grupe’s squad finished fourth in a nine-team field behind defending state champion Estelline-Hendricks at 145.100, Deuel 136.600, Madison 135.700, and Britton-Hecla 134.200. Sterling Mertens was the only individual placer, taking third in vault and floor and fifth allaround.

“This was our first larger invite of the year due to some scheduling changes and weather cancellations,” not-ed Grupe. “We have strong routines with good execution, but we will need to be a little sharper in the mental details to push past a few teams next week at the regional.”

There are two regionals with the top eight team scores between the two meets advancing to the state meet. The 40 top individuals in each event (including gymnasts pre-qualified during the season) will qualify for the individual st ate meet.

Britton-Hecla gymnasts who have met qualifying standards are Sterling Mertens in vault, bars, and floor exercise, and Kaegan Fredrickson and Kennady Van Lith in floor exercise.

“Everybody on my roster has a chance of making state if they hit their routines and skills,” said Grupe. And there are so many teams that could be separated by tenths at regions and the state meet that every tenth will count. Every detail, every mental error, every fight will count.

“Staying on the beam will be a large determining factor in how teams place,” Grupe added. “We were second as a team in vault, third in floor, and fourth in bars and beam at Deuel, and we will have to be better on beam to move up the placings at the regional. Let’s hope for sticky feet, confident hearts, and focused minds as we hit the postseason. We are on the rise and these girls can accomplish great things.”

TEAM POINTS: Estelline-Hendricks 145.100, Deuel 136.600, Madison135.700,Britton-Hecla134.200, Milbank 127.750, Sisseton 125.000, Chamberlain 124.650, Kimball-White Lake 112.200, West Central 28.300

VAULT: 3. Sterling Mertens 9.05; Abby Lee 8.85, Kaegan Fredrickson 8.60, McKenna Heer 8.60, Kennady Van Lith 8.45

UNEVEN BARS: Mertens 8.30, Lee 8.25, Emma Kraft 7.70, Fredrickson 7.20, Van Lith 7.20

BALANCE BEAM : Fredrickson 8.55, Van Lith 8.00, Mertens 7.95, Kraft 7.90, Jaelee Grupe 7.10

FLOOR EXERCISE : 3. Mertens 9.40; Fredrickson 8.85, Lee 8.65, Grupe 8.35, Van Lith 8.35

ALL-AROUND: 5. Mertens 34.700; Fredrickson 33.20, Van Lith 32.00