The Britton-Hecla gymnastics team earned a spot in the Class A state meet by placing among the top eight in the state in regional competition on Thursday and also has seven gymnasts who have qualified to compete for state individual honors.
Estelline-Hendricks won the Region 1A title with 146.500 points to outdistance Deuel with 139.350, Sisseton 134.225, Britton-Hecla 134.175, Madison 134.000, and Milbank 131.850. The same meet also determined the Northeast Conference champion with that honor going to Deuel.
Britton-Hecla state individual qualifiers include Abby Lee and Jaelee Grupe, vault, bars, beam, floor exercise, and all-around; Ava Teveldal, vault, beam, and floor; Kennady Van Lith, bars, and floor; Brynlee Schmieg, vault and bars; McKenna Heer, bars, beam, floor; and Taryn Kraft, beam.
The state meet will be held at the Watertown Civic Arena on Friday and Saturday. The Class A team competition begins at 3:30 p.m. on Friday with Estelline-Hendricks seeking its third straight crown, and the Class A individual competition kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday
B-H coach Angela Grupe predicts that the state meet with be a hotly-contested battle for top honors.
“State will be a very close competition,” said Grupe. “The team will have to hit to fight for a plaque. Sisseton beat us for the first time this year by .05. It had been close all year and I still think we can come out ahead at the state meet.”
Jaelee Grupe was still recovering from pneumonia and was only able to compete on vault and bars in the regional meet. Hopes are that she will be able to also compete in floor and beam at the state event.
Van Lith was the top placer for the Lady Braves on Thursday, taking seventh in floor exercise (third in NEC), and 15th on bars (seventh NEC). Teveldal was eighth on beam (fourth NEC) and placed eighth in the NEC floor. Grupe was 12th on vault (seventh NEC) and 15th on bars (seventh NEC), and Lee was 11th on bars (sixth NEC).
TEAM POINTS: Estelline-Hendricks 146.500, Deuel 139.350, Sisseton 134.225, Britton-Hecla 134.175, Madison 134.000, Milbank 131.850.
VAULT: 12. Jaelee Grupe 8.725; Brynlee Schmieg 8.600, Abby Lee 8.575, Ava Teveldal 8.575, McKenna Heer 8.325, Kennady Van Lith 8.300
BARS: 11. Lee 8.225 15. (tie) Van Lith, Grupe 7.900, Heer 7.775, Schmieg 7.500, Taryn Kraft 7.175
BEAM: 8. Teveldal 8.800; Heer 8.250, Lee 8.250, Kraft 7.975, Marley Sundin 7.375, Schmieg 7.150
FLOOR: 7. Van Lith 9.175; Teveldal 8.675, Lee 8.475, Heer 8.300, Sundin 8.150, Schmieg 7.850
ALL-AROUND: Lee 33.525, Heer 32.650, Schmieg 31.100
