MITCHELL, S.D. — The state gymnastics championships return to Mitchell High School this weekend, featuring a powerhouse Class A defending champion and a deep Class AA contender from the northeast.
Class AA: Watertown Brings Depth to Mitchell
The Watertown Arrows head into the Class AA state meet as one of the top eight qualifying teams in South Dakota. Watertown will be well-represented with a 10-athlete roster.
The Arrows’ lineup includes:
Senior: Ella Palmquist
Juniors: Lyric Diedrich, Karleigh Rumpza, Keira Schultz, Emery Gaikowski, Shauna Evenson, and Ashlynn Andrews.
Sophomore: Macy Olsen.
Eighth graders: Elly Dingsor and Livi Schmeling.
Watertown will contend with a field that includes defending champion Harrisburg, which posted the top qualifying score of 152.9833. Other team qualifiers include Mitchell, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Brookings, Sioux Falls Lincoln, Yankton, and Sioux Falls Roosevelt.
Class A: Estelline/Hendricks Eyes Title Defense
In Class A, all eyes are on Estelline/Hendricks as the Redhawks arrive to defend their 2025 team championship. The team enters the meet as the favorite after posting the highest qualifying score in the state at 145.933.
The Redhawks’ lineup includes:
Senior: Lita Fryer
Juniors: Savannah Seidell, and Whitney Court
Sophomore: Jaylee Berwald
Freshman: Sidney Court, and Maggie Hausman
Eighth graders: Emi Hartung, Riah Hartung, and Emma Olson
Seventh grader: Courtney Court
Estelline/Hendricks will compete against Britton-Hecla, Deuel, Chamberlain, Madison, Milbank Area, Parkston/Ethan/Hanson/Mount Vernon, and Sisseton.
Schedule of Events
The two-day event is split between team and individual competitions:
Friday, Feb. 13: The Class A team competition begins with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. The Class AA team session follows at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14: Individual and all-around titles will be decided, with Class A starting at 10 a.m. and Class AA at 3:30 p.m.
A total of 88 gymnasts will compete in Class AA, while 85 will compete in Class A. South Dakota Public Broadcasting will provide live streams of the events at SDPB.org/Gymnastics and on YouTube.
WTNSports.com 