Home Debut: Watertown gymnasts host triangular, invitational next on Thursday

Roger Merriam, Watertown Public Opinion
·2 min read
Watertown's Kaitlynn Rudebusch performs on the vault during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
Watertown's Kaitlynn Rudebusch performs on the vault during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.

Watertown High School’s gymnastics team kicked off a busy slate of home events on Tuesday by hosting a triangular with Sioux Falls O’Gorman and Aberdeen Central in the Civic Arena.

The Arrows are also slated to host their invitational on Thursday at 4 p.m. The two meets are the only scheduled home events of the season for Watertown.

O’Gorman won Tuesday’s meet with a score of 148.75. The Arrows took second with a season-best score of 143.9. Aberdeen Central was third at 137.9.

Watertown's Natalie Benson competes on the uneven bars during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
Watertown's Natalie Benson competes on the uneven bars during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.

O’Gorman was led by Maeve Boetel, who won the balance beam (9.7), uneven bars (9.7) and all-around (39.0) titles. Audrey Meyer took the floor exercise (9.85).

Myah Morris of Watertown won the vault (9.9) and took second in the all-around (38.6), balance beam (9.5) and floor exercise (9.8). She also was third in the bars (9.4).

Natalie Benson finished fourth in the floor exercise (9.65) and fifth in the vault (9.0) for the Arrows.

Watertown's Dawson Briggs performs on the balance beam during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
Watertown's Dawson Briggs performs on the balance beam during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.

Watertown is one of five teams scheduled to compete on Thursday, including Class AA schools Brookings and Mitchell and Class A schools Deuel and Milbank.

The meet is normally held on Saturday, but had to be moved up two days this year because the Arrow boys and girls basketball teams host Rapid City Stevens and Central in doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.

Watertown's Caroline Benson executes her vault during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
Watertown's Caroline Benson executes her vault during a high school gymnastics triangular Tuesday in the Civic Arena. The Arrows finished second in the meet behind Sioux Falls O'Gorman.

Deuel Quadrangular

CLEAR LAKE — Britton-Hecla had three of the top 5 all-around gymnasts and won the Deuel Quadrangular on Tuesday.

The Braves topped the field with a score of 127.15. Deuel was second at 116.75, followed by West Central (110.1) and Sisseton (107.1).

Sterling Mertens won the vault (8.95) and uneven bars (8.05) on the way to a runner-up finish (32.55) in the all-around competition for Britton-Hecla. Teammates Maggie Kilker was third (31.4) and Keagan Fredrickson fifth (29.65) in the all-around and Ava Teveldal won the balance beam (8.05).

Hannah Cutshaw of Deuel took home the all-around title with a score of 32.85. Elise Hotzler of Deuel won the floor exercise (875) and finished fourth in the all-around (31.3).

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Home Debut: Watertown gymnasts host triangular, invitational next on Thursday