PAGE 5 WINTER SPORTS 2015 ? PRESS & DAKOTAN • PLAIN TALK Gymnastics: Veteran Gazelles Raise The Bar BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK james.cimburek@yankton.net EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Nov. 30 edition of the Press & Dakotan. It has been updated to reflect the ongoing season. With everyone back from a ninth place finish a season ago and a number of other gymnasts pushing them, the Yankton Gazelles gymnastics team has raised the bar. How far up that bar goes remains to be seen, but coach Luke Youmans is confident that it’s pretty high. “We’ve been a team the last five years, that we’ve been happy just to make it to the state meet, be one of those top eight teams,” Youmans said. “We’re planning on being one of the teams that’s going to be a top-tier program.” The Gazelles finished ninth at state a year ago. They also had five compete individually, led by eighth grader Jaiden Boomsma’s pair of top-20 finishes, fifth in the vault and 11th on the balance beam. Junior Haleigh Diede was an all-around competitor at state. Juniors Kaitlin Guthmiller, Morgan Mason and Cameryn Specht also competed in individual events at last year’s state meet. Yankton did not have a senior or junior on last year’s squad, and does not have a senior this year. “We’ve had a couple of years where we had some really young girls, and it was going to take a little bit of time to transition them into really good gymnasts, and we’re there. We saw last year that it was the transition year of taking some really young kids and starting to turn them into some really good athletes,” Youmans said. “We’re out of the transition this year. This is the year that the expectations are there.” The Gazelles are excited about the expectations as well. “We are a lot better this year because all the hard work we’ve put in,” said junior Sophie Bisgard. Yankton also returns juniors Cassie Echols and Shanna Hill, and sophomores Yankton’s Sophie Bisgard GYMNASTICS Dec. 3 vs. Mitchell/Parkston-EthanHanson Team: 135.2 Lolly Forseth Inv. Team: 131.325 Dec. 8 at S.F. Lincoln/vs. Mitchell 5:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at S.F. O’Gorman/vs. S.F. Roosevelt 5:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at Wagner-Bon Homme 5:30 p.m. Dec. 18 Mitchell Inv. 5:30 p.m. Jan. 9 Brookings Inv. noon Jan. 14 at Brookings 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21 vs. Vermillion 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 vs. S.F. O’Gorman/ S.F. Washington 5:30 p.m. Feb. 6 ESD at Watertown noon Feb. 12-13 State at Brookings Dec. 5 Lauren Vik, Madison Stahly and Storm Yaggie. One thing that has helped the Gazelles is their athletic diversity, according to Youmans. “The great thing about this junior group of girls is that they’re not just gymnasts. They’re all girls that are varsity athletes in multiple sports,” he said. “The thing you can’t impress on kids enough is that if you want to be a competitor, you have to go out and learn how to go compete. They’ve all been out in other activities, been competing at the varsity level. They walk in here knowing what it takes to be a varsity competitor.” With all the returning experience, the Gazelles are able to pick up where they left off, Diede said. “We are starting out with a higher skill level than we had last year,” she said. “We need to work to perfect everything. We have the skills.” Freshmen Alexus Brandt, Samantha Kortan, Alexa Griffith, Madison Schaefer and Miranda Schulte, and eighth graders Hailey Gokie, Mackenzie Havranek and Trinity Goeman are also on the Gazelle roster. “We’re going to be really competitive at the varsity level, but we’re expecting to have a really competitive JV team this year, too. We don’t want to make everything about five girls,” Youmans said. “We want to make it about a team, which means we want to be really competitive at the varsity level, but we want to go to meets and have a JV team that’s competitive with a lot of varsity teams in the state. “That’s the beauty of our situation here. We are as competitive as we’ve ever been at every position and every level in our gym.” That depth and experience has been tested early. Each of the Gazelles’ first three events included defending state champion Mitchell. The Gazelles also went up against traditional powers Rapid City Stevens and Sioux Falls O’Gorman in the first week of the season. The Gazelles were looking forward to the challenge, Youmans said. “I don’t think there is any other way to start the season other than seeing the best. We’ve had years past where it’s kinda, the moan and groan of, ‘Oh, we gotta go against Mitchell right off the bat.’ This year it’s a little different,” he said. “Our mind- Yankton’s Jaiden Boomsma set is, ‘We want to see them right away. We want to find out how competitive we can be with the best team.’ We’re going to find out right away on Monday night how good we are, and how competitive we’re going to be with, what we believe, is the best team in the state.” For the Gazelles to get to their goals, shying away from tough competition cannot be on the agenda. “This is the year that we compete with every program in the state, where we don’t say ‘Mitchell’s too good for us. Rapid City Stevens, they’re too good for us.,’” Youmans said. “We go in with the expectations that there isn’t a team in the state that we can’t be competitive with. That we can’t be close to them, no matter what level – ESD, state – we feel that we are as good, as competitive as any team in the state.” Follow @JCimburek on Twitter. Hockey Yankton Boys Ready For Season BY BEN HEGGE sports@yankton.net In the second year of fielding both a varsity and junior varsity team, the Yankton Bucks are determined for success. “We have a group of kids that love hockey,” said head coach Chad Kapla. “They will be put to the test this season.” The Bucks will feature a strong group of seniors that include Austin Barger (Captain), Colby Benson (CapYankton’s Renee Cross (left) tain), Bryce Jensen, Cody List (Co-Captain), and Cody Perakslis (Co-Captain). The question for Yankton BY ROGELIO RODRIGUEZ never played hockey before, this year will not be talent we’re building this from the sports@yankton.net but the amount of depth for GIRLS’ JV HOCKEY ground up because we don’t the Bucks. have that where players dads After a 6-11-1 season a “We are excited to showNov. 28 vs. Aberdeen L 0-13, L 0-6 have played and things like year ago, the Yankton Miracle case our top forward line of Nov. 29 vs. Aberdeen L 0-10 that,” said Weber. girls’ hockey team is looking Austin, Coby, and Bryce, who Dec. 4 vs. Brookings L 1-2 (OT) Dec. 5 vs. Sioux Center L 0-7 Despite all of these obto continue the progress it we feel will match up with Dec. 13 at Brookings 9 a.m./4 p.m. stacles, these girls are ready any top line in the state,” said made last season. Dec. 18 vs. Sioux Falls 6 p.m. to prove themselves on the All but two players return Kapla. “We will need young Jan. 2 vs. Oahe 1 p.m./7:30 p.m. Jan. 3 vs. Oahe 10 a.m. ice and show their worth. for the squad, coached by players to step up and supJan. 9 at Rushmore 10 a.m./7 p.m. “We have a lot of girls Ryan McClennen and assisted port this top line and make Jan. 10 at Rushmore noon Feb. 6 at Sioux Falls noon/4:45 p.m. where this is their first by Mike Weber. The 2014-15 us a competitive team in this Feb. 13 at Sioux Center experience with hockey,” said tough varsity field.” team got off to a strong start, 11:10 a.m./3:10 p.m. Weber. but lost its last three regular A determined Bucks team Feb. 26-28 State Tourn. at Aberdeen Abby Weber (6 goals, 5 as- is focused on success this season matches and went 0-3 sists), Anna Lyman (4 goals) at state. season and has set team find themselves on the ice and McKenna Van Winkle “We played really well in goals for the upcoming year. and their ability to channel (3 goals, 6 assists) are the the regular season and we Goals that include a state their aggression in the right returning scorers from a sea- tournament berth, which just fell off on tournament directions; namely into their son ago. Victoria Weiland (2 play,” said Assistant Coach would require finishing in the opponents. They must also goals), Isabelle Plath (1 goal, top eight of the 12 teams in Mike Weber. be more precise with their 2 assists), Anna Johnson According to Weber, the South Dakota. key to success in this season passing. However, Kapla and his “We have girls who have will be the girls’ ability to MIRACLE | PAGE 6 team are more focused on daily improvement. “A top eight finish would be huge for our program,” teams. We get tested every state) if we would have put said Kapla. “But in order for game we go out and play.” the pieces together right,” Improving on the team’s Drotzmann said. “I think this that to happen we need to be focused on daily improveeight victories is one goal, season has the capability FROM PAGE 4 ment at the varsity and junior and advancing to state – to fall into place, to be that varsity level.” which Yankton has not done team.” More specifically, the Drotzmann said. “It’s really since 2011 – is another. Bucks are “committed to nice to have Christmas break, “It’s going to take a lot of Follow @JCimburek on improvement in three main see where we’re at individuhard work, but I know every Twitter ally, then really hone in on single girl on that court each other, what we have to Let us “Brighten” your way! wants to get better,” Frick do as a team.” Full Service Salon said. “We’re going to get After going 7-9 in Eastern better. We want to succeed. rightway South Dakota Conference We want to make the state play, the Gazelles will look to tournament so bad. I think break into the top half of the with this group of girls, we lectric LLC LLC league. But Krier knows his can go really far.” 409 Cedar St. • Yankton squad will be tested every While recent Gazelle Locally owned * Proudly Serving time out. 605-664-4400 teams have failed, but this South Dakota and Nebraska. “There’s no easy game in year’s squad is confident it Licensed Insured Warrantied Work our schedule. You look at the can succeed. Walk-Ins Welcome Residential Commercial Service ESD, and the ESD’s all com“We’ve gone through some (Located one block north *Bucket Truck Available* petitive,” he said. “You look tough seasons where we had of Cotton Oil) Mike Suing • 605-760-3505 at our non-ESD games, and enough talent to make it (to Rod McNatt • 605-661-9594 we play all four Sioux Falls Yankton Girls Continue To Build Program YHS GBB B E Yankton Yankton’s Austin Barger areas: competing harder, getting ourselves in better physical condition, and playing smarter hockey.” Now in the second year of the program, the Bucks have some experience under their belt. With a number of returning seniors, Yankton will look to thrive off their leadership in helping the younger players. “Our seniors are tremendous,” said Kapla. “The younger kids really look up to them, and they know what it takes to play varsity hockey. As the year goes on, I think our younger guys will learn a lot from them.” BOYS’ HOCKEY Dec. 6 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Jan. 1 Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Jan. 9 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 29 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 19 Feb. 21 Feb. 27 Feb. 28 Mar. 11-13 at Watertown L 1-7 at Aberdeen 8 p.m. at Aberdeen 12:30 p.m. at Brookings 7:30 p.m. vs. Watertown 5:30 p.m. vs. Mitchell 8 p.m. vs. S.F. East 8 p.m. vs. Oahe 3 p.m. vs. Oahe 3 p.m. at Huron 7 p.m. vs. S.F. West 3 p.m. at Mitchell 8 p.m. at S.F. East 9:15 p.m. vs. Huron 7 p.m. at S.F. West 7 p.m. vs. Brookings 5:30 p.m. at Rushmore 7:15 p.m. at Rushmore noon State Tourn. at Brookings Follow @bigheadbenny13 on Twitter. The Cutting Crew www.firstchiropracticcenter.com Dr. Sheila Fitzgerald • Dr. Jim Fitzgerald Dr. Tom Stotz • Dr. TJ Stotz (605)665-8073 2509 Fox Run Parkway, Yankton