WINTER SPORTS 2016: PAGE 3B PRESS & DAKOTAN n VERMILLION PLAIN TALK Gymnastics: Young Tanagers Aim For Another Strong Finish consistent and increasing the difficulty in routines. “We need to work on staying on the beam and just EDITOR’S NOTE: This arGymnastics sticking stuff,” said sophoticle originally occurred in the 11/29 vs. Lincoln/Washington 110.15 12/10 Wagner-Bon Homme Inv. noon more Carter Williams. “Just Nov. 30 edition of the Press & 12/16 at Roosevelt/West Central 6 p.m. simple things like keeping Dakotan. It has been updated 12/29 Winter Wonderland Inv. 11 a.m. 1/10 at Madison 6:30 p.m. your legs straight and point to reflect the ongoing season. 1/14 Madison Inv. noon your toes wins meets.” 1/19 vs. Chamberlain/Yankton 6 p.m. With a number of returnThe Vermillion High 1/30 at Wagner-Bon Homme/vs. West Central/Parkston-Ethan-Hanson ing varsity competitors, the School gymnastics team is 6 p.m. Tanagers will be able to start looking to make a repeat of 2/3 Region 2A (Chamberlain) 6 p.m. early in the season to build last season’s Class A state 2/10-11 State Meet (Aberdeen) off last year with Williams meet run, but will be doing leading the way as the highso without a single senior petitive,” said head coach est scoring Tanagers as last rostered on the team. Shannon Fitzsimmons. “Every year’s state meet. The Tanagers graduated “She is coming back last season’s lone senior and year our focus is to do what we can to peak in February. as our most experienced the young squad just looks We try and learn from each gymnast. Even though she is to take this season one day competition and improve a sophomore she competes at a time, one meet at a time from meet to meet.” like a veteran,” Fitzsimmons to steadily improve in time In gymnastics, improvsaid. for the state competition in ing individual scores will Williams, as a freshman, February. ultimately help the overall placed second in two events “The girls have great enthusiasm and positive energy, team scores, so Fitzsimmons at last year’s state meet and fourth in the all-around which makes a big difference is helping the team work competition. She is returnas the season gets more com- towards improving individually with keeping simple skills BY ELYSE BRIGHTMAN Elyse.brightman@plaintalk.net VERMILLION ing this year looking to build on those scores and see the top of the podium in a few events. “I got second on beam and floor and I was really happy with that and I hope to do better this year,” she said. “I’d really like to place first on a couple events, hopefully beam and floor, and I’d like to get my vault and bars score higher and increase my difficulty a little bit.” All returners will be looking to make a positive impact in team scores with juniors Tomalyn Peckham and Annaliese Taggart at the helm. “Both bring great enthusiasm and energy to the team and are great leaders and are a good influence to have on the younger kids,” Fitzsimmons said. Additional sophomores Payton Larson and Kaya VHS GYM | PAGE 4B Sophomore Carter Williams finished fourth in the Class A all-around a season ago. SOUTH DAKOTA WRESTLING Senior Carter Kratz was third at 160 pounds a season ago. VHS WR “We’ve got guys starting at 106 all the way up to 220 and heavyweight that have just been solid and all of us have FROM PAGE 2B really good technique and there is no weakness in our every body.” lineup,” Kratz said. He’ll be looking to keep Delveaux is looking to an offensive approach to the seniors and experienced matches to put up as many wrestlers to carry the team points as he can. through the season, but “I just like to be really hopes to see some young aggressive when it comes faces emerge, including Anto wrestling people that are glin, Tayin Smidt, Jarret Rueb good,” Anglin said. “I like to and Kobe Culver, to fill open get on them right away and spots and continue Vermilgo to my offense right away. I lion’s wrestling tradition in don’t wait for them to shoot. the years to come. I’m not a defensive person, I “We have a great wrestling just attack really quickly.” tradition in Vermillion and an He will be wrestling at 113 outstanding wrestling comthis season with the same munity,” Delveaux said. “Our goal in mind, to win that state parents and youth program championship. play a very big role in our Additional returning wres- success. tlers for the Tanagers this “We would like to extend season include juniors Riley an invitation for middle Beach, Brody Surrell, Brett school level athletes and Culver and sophomore Ryne parents to stop by a practice Whisler. or meet, and experience what Conditioning seems to be this sport is all about. I beDelveaux’s approach to the lieve it builds better athletes season to build off the teams and stronger mental constitualready established skill set. tions.” Both Anglin and Kratz agreeVermillion’s wrestling ing the team is seeing more season opened on Saturday, conditioning work during the December 3, finishing third first two and a half weeks of at the Sioux Falls Roosevelt practice compared to last Invite. season. VHS Girls FROM PAGE 2B where if teams lose some players then people think that they are going to take a big fall, but I think Elk Point should be really good again,” he said. Winning the region and advancing to state looks a little different this year with a restructuring of the playoff system. Region 4A is full of notoriously tough teams and should the Tanagers make it past the first two rounds of the region tournament, it would theoretically be “easier” to qualify for state. “If we make it we can go far because we have a tough region, but with the new way it works we can get out of our region easier,” Melstad said. “You play the first two rounds of regions and then you get reseeded throughout the whole state, so you won’t have to play someone in your region for the championship.” According to Brooks, Lennox is the team the Tanagers are looking at on this year’s schedule as the possible favorite to win the region, and Dell Rapids will continue to be a tough conference opponent. Vermillion has plenty of time to prepare for all three of those teams as the COMMUNITY BANK AVON, SD 286-3213 Member FDIC Tanagers face Lennox on Jan. 12, Elk Point-Jefferson on Jan. 17 and Dell Rapids on Jan. 26 and is out of the timeframe Brooks is looking at to see who will really step in and contribute in game situations. “We feel like we have eight, nine, 10 good kids that are competing in practice for those spots,” he said. “That’s why you have to get through the first four or five games in the season to see who is going to step up and do it in the games.” With the number of returning players, all of whom have all been playing with Brooks at the helm, the team has been able to test different systems of play. This year, the Tanagers will be looking to play a fast paced game and cater the defense to the opponent. “We’ve been able to move along quicker this year and jumping into things,” Brooks said. “We have more defenses at this point in the season than we’ve had in the past and we are going to rely on that early in the season.” The hope is to use the up-tempo style to get the whole roster to contribute in games and transition quickly to get up and down the court instead of using set plays and trying to slow the game down. “We are really looking to create some offense off of our CROSBY-JAEGER FUNERAL HOME INC. Avon, SD 119 N. Poplar St. Wagner, SD 124 E. Hwy 50 384-3781 Springfield, SD 604 8th St. 369-2488 Jim & Julie Jaeger and Chad Peters Zach Johnson, Bon Homme-Scotland Andes Central first year of the co-op. Beresford finished fourth at state last year. RETURNING: Payton Borah (Fr.), Hunter Borah (Jr.), Kolton Kribell (Sr., State qualifier); Trevor Stene (So.), CJ Carlson (So.); Wyatt Knudson (So.), Dakota Galt (Sr., State Champ); Kaleb Peterson (Sr., State Qualifer); Ty Haneke (Sr.), Isaac Reed (Fr.), Ethen Reed (So.), Andrew Jensen (So.), Logan Serck (8th), Lathan Norling (Sr.), Beresford-AlcesterCarter Kennedy (So., State Hudson Qualifer); Nick Casperson (Jr., COACH: Tyler Sorenson 3rd at state); Trent Rus (Sr.), ASSISTANT: Skyler ErickAustin Snedeker (Sr.), Jack son, Ken Bonte, Butch Farley, Fitzgerald (Jr.), Carson JohnTim Rhead, Ted Lyle sen (Fr.), Dan Nyreen (Fr.) VITALS: Region 2B, Dakota NEWCOMERS: Kellyn XII Conference March (So.), Aitor Perez (Jr.), LAST YEAR: This is the Johanathan Edwards (So.) COACH: Charles Hopkins VITALS: Class B, Region 3 RETURNERS: Alec Kiyukan (Sr.), Leo Hopkins (Sr.), Matthew Bryant (Sr.), Joe Hart (Jr.), Beau Greger (Jr.), Ethan Black Cloud (Jr.), Jacob Menyard (So.), NEWCOMERS: Gabe Bass (Fr.), Riley Boettcher (7th), Apollo Weddell (7th) defense this year and we feel that with the speed and the athletes we have we can do that,” Brooks said. The offensive will leaning heavily on Jensen and Melstad with scoring, but Brooks was quick to point out that there needs to be more than two players to score points, and he knows there are players on the roster who can deliver. If the depth Brooks has been seeing in practices translates to games, Vermillion will have the numbers to keep pace with an up-tempo style throughout the game. “It’s really hard to play up tempo style when you are only playing with six kids, so we do like to get our rotation to eight or nine kids so we can sub and we can stay fresh and obviously we need our bench to be a part of that.” Vermillion opened the season on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at Garretson. The first home game is Friday, Dec. 9 against Bon Homme beginning at 6:30 p.m. FARMERS & MERCHANTS STATE BANK Powers Furniture & Appliance Inc. “We Have A Way With Money” Bloomfield, NE 402-373-4321 www.fandmstatebank.com Member FDIC Branches in Hartington, Crofton, Center, Niobrara & South Yankton Bon Homme-Scotland COACH: Darren Kriz ASSISTANT: Jim Kocer, Shane Sutera VITALS: Region 3B LAST YEAR: Bon HommeScotland finished with an 8-2 record last year. RETURNING: Jordan Rueb (Fr., 106); Dawson Bretz (7th, 113); Kaleb Crownover (Jr., 126); Jacob Denton (7th, 152); Stas Sutera (Sr., 138); Zach Sykora (Sr., 145); Zach Johnson (8th, 145); Jordan Gall (8th, 145); Riley Hellmann (Fr., 145); Josh Crownover (Fr., 152); Sam Caba (Sr., 160); Kade Hellmann (Sr., 170), Stockten Watter (So., 170); Micah Debber (Fr., 285); Seth Willett (Sr., 285) Dakota Valley COACH: Tim Ryan ASSISTANT: Nick Stetson, Wayne Becker, Grayson Pirner VITALS: Class A, Dakota XII Conference LAST YEAR: The Panthers did not lose anyone due to graduation. RETURNING: Ryan Parker (Sr., 285, 6th at state); Sam Boys’ Basketball at Canistota vs. Baltic at Avon Chamberlain Classic Buseman Classic (home) at Freeman Academy-Marion (FA) at Burke-South Central (Bonesteel) vs. Scotland vs. Andes Central-Dakota Christian (TVC Classic-Yankton) 605-563-2863 FARMERS CO-OP ELEVATOR Fuel Service & Ranch Supply For All Your • Grain • Fertilizer • Feed • Chemical Needs AVON, SD PH. 286-3297 vs. Freeman vs. Irene-Wakonda at Viborg-Hurley (V) vs. Alcester-Hudson at Hanson vs. Dell Rapids St. Mary at Gayville-Volin vs. Bridgewater-Emery at Menno Avon Lumber 121 E. Railway Avon, SD 605-286-3332 COACH: Tyler Nolz ASSISTANTS: Seth Fischer, Sam McCleran VITALS: Class B, Region 2B, Dakota XII Conference LAST YEAR: The Huskies finished fifth at the Region 2B meet and 14th at the State B meet. RETURNING: Dylan Colt (Sr., state runner up, 138); Logan Donelan (Jr., state qualifier, 170); Zak Fowler (Jr., state qualifier, 120); Tim Mingo (Sr., 145), Ethan Marx (Jr., 145), Garret Chicoine (Jr., 285), Taylor Welch (Jr., 126), Alex Junck (So., 160), Brody Weavill (Fr., 120), Skyler Swatek (8th, 120), Joe Weis (8th, 113) NEWCOMERS: Alex Norby (Sr., 170), Kody LaFleur (So., S.D. WR | PAGE 4B Locally Owned & Operated 102 N. Main, Avon, SD 286-3917 Centerville, SD Carson Family Dentistry C. Nolan Carson III, DDS, MA Kelsey Pudwill, RDH 117 N. Main • Avon, SD 286-3215 1/17 1/24 1/26 1/31 2/2 2/7 2/10 2/13 2/23 Elk Point-Jefferson FORT RANDALL TELEPHONE CO. 707 Chestnut St. Springfield, SD 57062 605-369-2226 CENTERVILLE 12/9 12/16 12/19 12/28 12/29 1/5 1/6 1/10 1/14 Wente (Jr., 160), Kaleb Martin (Sr., 132), Robert Streeter (Jr., 145), Collin Becker (Fr., 152), Landon Erickson (8th, 106), Michael DeWall (9th, 106), Rafael Marquez (Jr., 220), Casey Voichahoske (So., 220), Mitchell Kistner (So., 195) Hours: 8am - 5pm • Mon - Fri AVON 12/13 12/16 12/19 12/20 12/30 1/3 1/12 1/17 1/19 1/21 1/23 1/26 1/30 2/3 2/7 2/10 2/13 2/14 2/17 2/23 Boys’ Basketball vs. Corsica-Stickney at Bridgewater-Emery (B) vs. Centerville at Parkston at Alcester-Hudson vs. Ethan (Mitchell) vs. Scotland at Mitchell Christian vs. Andes Central-Dakota Christian vs. Wagner vs. Marty vs. Gregory at Menno at Bon Homme at Viborg-Hurley (V) at Tripp-Delmont-Armour(A) vs. Gayville-Volin vs. Hanson at Freeman at Burke-South Central(Burke) 12/9 12/13 12/15 12/17 12/30 1/3 1/5 1/7 1/13 1/14 1/17 1/19 1/21 1/24 1/27 1/31 2/2 2/7 2/10 2/13 Girls’ Basketball at Gregory vs. Corsica-Stickney vs. Hartington Cedar Catholic vs. Hanson (Edith Sanford Breast Center Classic-SF) at Alcester-Hudson vs. Ethan (Mitchell) at Scotland vs. Marty at Irene-Wakonda (W) Hanson Classic (Mitchell) at Mitchell Christian vs. Andes Central-Dakota Christian vs. Wagner vs. Burke-South Central vs. Parkston vs. Menno at Bon Homme at Viborg-Hurley (V) at Tripp-Delmont-Armour (A) vs. Gayville-Volin