PAGE 2A: WINTER SPORTS 2016 PRESS & DAKOTAN ? VERMILLION PLAIN TALK In This Issue Yankton Profile: YHS Gymnastics Seniors ............................. 2A Season Preview: YHS Gymnastics ....................... 2A Profile: YHS Gymnastics Coach Justin Olson .....3A-4A Season Preview: YHS Boys’ Basketball ....................3A-4A Season Preview: YHS Girls’ Basketball ....................3A-4A Season Preview: YHS Wrestling ......................4A-5A Season Preview: Yankton Bowling ............................. 5A Season Preview: Yankton JV Boys’ Hockey..................... 6A Vermillion Profile: Cooper Williams .... 1B Season Preview: VHS Boys’ Basketball ....................1B-2B Season Preview: VHS Girls’ Basketball ....................2B-3B JAMES D. CIMBUREK/P&D Season Preview: VHS Wrestling ......................2B-3B Haleigh Diede, left, Sophie Bisgard and Kaitlin Guthmiller have been varsity gymnasts for Yankton since their seventh grade seasons. Now as seniors, the trio will look to lead the squad to new heights. Season Preview: VHS Gymnastics ..................3B-4B BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK Area Capsules: Nebraska Girls’ Basketball ...........5A-6A Feature: Wynot Girls’ Basketball ....................6A-7A Feature: Crofton Girls’ Basketball ......................... 7A Capsules: South Dakota Girls’ Basketball ......... 7A-10A Profile: Erika Sage ............ 8A Profile: Megan Hirsch ........ 9A Capsules: Nebraska Wrestling ..........................10A Capsules: South Dakota Gymnastics ......................10A Capsules: South Dakota Wrestling ......................3B-4B Profile: Dakota Galt ........... 4B Capsules: South Dakota Boys’ Basketball ...........5B-7B Feature: Irene-Wakonda Boys’ Basketball ................ 6B Capsules: Nebraska Boys’ Basketball ...........7B-8B Winter Calendar ......... 7B-10B Preview Staff Yankton James Cimburek Twitter ............... @JCimburek Instagram.......... @JCimburek Jeremy Hoeck Twitter ......................@jhoeck Instagram.......@jeremyhoeck Ben Hegge Twitter ......@bigheadbenny13 Rogelio Rodriguez Twitter ........@RogelioUlisesR Dylan Huggins Twitter .................. @dhugg23 Michael Hammond Twitter ..@michaelhammond_ General News Sports/Accts Twitter .........@YanktonSports News.......@pressanddakotan Instagram. .@pressanddakotan Vermillion Elyse Brightman Twitter ............ @ebrightman2 Instagram.................@elyse2 General News Sports/Accts News Twitter........ @plaintalk2 Instagram.... @plaintalksports James.cimburek@yankton.net Since they first stepped into the gym as seventh graders, the trio of Sophie Bisgard, Haleigh Diede and Kaitlin Guthmiller have been standouts for the Yankton gymnastics program. For the past two seasons, the trio has also been the team’s leaders, as the program has not graduated a senior since the 2013-14 season. Now as seniors, who have five state meets experience under their belts, are ready to help lead the Gazelles to new heights. “It’s been a while since we’ve graduated someone,” said Yankton head coach Justin Olson. “Having all that experience back really helps us out.” Diede has the most state meet experience, having competed in the all-around each of the past three seasons and competed in four state meets. She was 13th in the all-around and 11th on the balance beam last season. “Haleigh is a powerful gymnast and one of our top all-arounders,” Olson said. Bisgard earned a 10th place finish on the vault a season ago, and also competed on floor and bars. She missed the individual competition at state her sophomore season, but was in two events as a freshman and on event as an eighth grader. “Sophie is positive and encouraging,” Olson said. “She is a great leader for us on floor, beam and vault.” Guthmiller was 18th on beam last season, one of her three events. She Haleigh Diede 2015-16 13th-AA...........................34.275 11th-Beam ........................8.725 21st-Bars ..........................8.325 23rd-Floor .........................8.875 35th-Vault ...........................8.35 2014-15 24th-AA...........................33.225 28th-Vault .........................8.725 29th-Bars ..............................8.1 32nd-Floor ..........................8.75 35th-Beam ..........................7.65 2013-14 33rd-AA...........................32.525 26th-Bars ..............................8.3 35th-Vault .........................8.525 41st-Beam ............................7.5 43rd-Floor .............................8.2 2012-13 32nd-Bars ...........................8.25 Sophie Bisgard 2015-16 10th-Vault ................................................................................... 8.875 31st-Floor ..................................................................................... 8.75 40th-Bars .................................................................................... 7.125 2013-14 40th-Floor ................................................................................... 8.375 36th-Vault ....................................................................................... 8.5 2012-13 24th-Floor ..................................................................................... 8.95 earned a 19th place finish on bars as a freshman. “Haleigh and Sophie lead by example. Kaitlin’s more outgoing,” Olson said. “She’s our firecracker. If the team is a little down, she gets them going.” While the trio has been the veterans on the team the previous two seasons, this year their role is more pronounced. “It’s different being a leader as a senior,” Diede said. “Part of it is knowing that this is our last year to get it done.” The connection between the three goes beyond just being classmates and teammates. “I’ve loved growing up with these girls,” Guthmiller said. “We’ve been through everything together, in the gym and out of the gym.” With one more season together, the trio wants the Gazelles to reach some high goals, including a schoolrecord for team score and winning the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet, which is set for Feb. 2 in Yankton. Yankton has not won an ESD title since 1997. Kaitlin Guthmiller 2015-16 18th-Beam .................................................................................... 8.45 21st-Vault........................................................................................ 8.7 25th-Bars ...................................................................................... 8.15 2014-15 39th-Beam .................................................................................. 7.425 2013-14 19th-Bars .................................................................................... 8.375 40th-Beam .................................................................................. 5.575 “The goals are set a lot higher than last year,” Guthmiller said. “We want to break the school record.” They not only want a strong finish to their careers, but they want to set up the younger Gazelles for even more success. “We want to make sure the underclassmen are ready to lead next year,” Bisgard said. Follow @JCimburek on Twitter. Veteran Gazelles Aim To Build On Sixth Place Finish BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK James.cimburek@yankton.net EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Nov. 28 edition of the Press & Dakotan. It has been updated to reflect the ongoing season. Since the Yankton Gazelles last took the floor for a gymnastics meet, the program has gone through a coaching change and seen one of the top gymnasts in last year’s state meet enroll. Other than that, not much has changed. The Yankton Gazelles return nearly every competitor from their 2015-16 roster, and have an influx of even more talent as the program prepared to open the season. “We have a lot of depth,” said Justin Olson, beginning his first season as head coach after five years as an assistant in the program. “Early in the season we the beam. Sophie Bisgard was 10th on the vault, the highest individual place for a Gazelle in last year’s meet. Kaitlin Guthmiller was 18th on the beam. Gymnastics 11/28 at Mitchell/vs. Parkston-EthanAlso back are a pair of freshmen Hanson 135.350 placewinners. Jaiden Boomsma 12/3 Lolly Forseth Inv. (SF) 133.925 was 17th in the all-around and 12th 12/6 at Mitchell/vs. S.F. Lincoln * 12/8 vs. Roosevelt/O’Gorman 6 p.m. on the bars. Trinity Johnson (then 12/12 vs. Wagner-Bon Homme 6 p.m. Trinity Goeman) was 19th on the 12/16 Mitchell Inv. 6 p.m. balance beam. 1/7 Brookings Inv. noon 1/12 vs. Brookings 6 p.m. Yankton also boasts several 1/19 at Vermillion/vs. Chamberlain 6 p.m. other veterans of the program, as 1/23 at Washington/vs. O’Gorman 5:30 p.m. 2/2 ESD (Yankton) 4 p.m. the team went consecutive years 2/10-11 State (Aberdeen) 11/9:30 a.m. without graduating a senior. This * - Occurred After Press Deadline year’s senior class also includes Morgan Mason and Shanna Hill, with juniors Lauren Vik, Madison can compete five. Later on, we can Stahly and Storrm Yaggie, and only compete five and score four. sophomores Samantha Kortan and Whoever is competing well at that Miranda Schulte also back. point will be in the rotation.” Among a talented group of The Gazelles finished sixth at freshman is Payton Steffensen, who state last season, and return five was at O’Gorman before her family individuals who scored top-20 finmoved to Yankton. She was fourth ishes in individual events, including in the all-around, tied for second three seniors. Haleigh Diede was 13th in the all-around and 11th on YHS GYM | PAGE 3A YANKTON 201 Pine Street, Yankton, SD Right across from the old Gurney’s building Celebrating our 50th Anniversary! Serving ne nebraSka & Se South dakota. 605-260-0920 1-800-KIL-BUGS officeS in yankton and norfolk The Flue Doctors Fireplaces and wood burning stoves were responsible for some 23,600 residential fires. P.R. Olson Chimney Sweeps Dryer Exhaust Technicians Call for an appointment today! 665-5181 • 1-800-545-2847 Don’t let an injury keep you sidelined. Trust our experienced staff. Morgen Square Good Luck To All Of The Area Athletes! Yankton’s Jaiden Boomsma is spotted by coach Justin Olson during a meet in the 2015-16 season. 605.260.5003