Athletes and coaches on the Hot Springs Bison gymnasts team flash the No. 4 to signify the team’s fourth consecutive Region 2A title, which they won last Friday night at the Mueller Civic Center. Pictured, in back from left is assistant coach Leanna Dappen, manager Maddy Fisher, Hillary Lane, Rose Burchfield, Sydney Lockhart, Brooklyn Smith, manager Mariah Stone, Riley Lockhart, Charli Christiansen, Kiera Allen, Carlie DeBoer and Peyton Stewart. In front is Jada Berkley along with head coach Dana Nachtigall and assistant coach Jaylen Nachtigall. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star Hot Springs sophomore Charli Christiansen dismounts off of the uneven bars above the watchful eye of head coach Dana Nachtigall, during last week’s region meet at the Mueller Center. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star
Kiera Allen, Peyton Stewart, Carlie DeBoer, Brooklyn Smith & Charli Christiansen qualify individually for State
HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Bison gymnasts won their fourth consecutive Region 2A title last Friday, Feb. 2., but what made this one even more special than the previous three straight title is that they did it in their home gym at the Mueller Civic Center.
For the past several years, Hot Springs has had to travel four to five hours to either Wagner or Chamberlain to compete in the region meet, so the change of venue was a welcome opportunity.
“It was a long week of prep for a home Region meet, but it turned into great success in every way,” said Hot Springs head coach Dana Nachtigall. “We’re so grateful to all who helped make this meet a success.”
To win their fourth straight title, the Bison scored a 136.425 which edged runnerup Parkston Ethan Hanson with a 134.8, followed by Chamberlain (133.125) and Vermillion (128.575). Those four teams then also qualified for this week’s State Class “A” Gymnastics Championship, Feb. 9-10 in Pierre. Other teams competing at last week’s region meet included Wagner Bon Homme (128.2), Wall Kadoka Philip (121.525) and Kimball White Lake (107.25).
“It was so fun to see all seven teams in our region in our home for the region meet. And for our girls to come out on top as champions for a fourth year in a row made it pretty darn special,” added Coach Nachtigall.
The individual all-around champion of Region 2A went to Wagner senior Alexys Rueb who scored a 37.6 while also winning floor exercise (9.6) and tying for first place beam (9.5).
Hot Springs senior Kiera Allen was the region runnerup in all-around with a 36.475, followed by senior London Sudbeck of Parkston (36.25), sophomore Kylah Biggins of Chamberlain (35.95) and senior Amelia Jones of Chamberlain (35.8).
In addition to her second place all-around finish, Allen won the uneven bars (9.375) and was third on beam (9.275), fifth on floor (9.05) and eighth on vault (8.775).
Hot Springs junior Peyton Stewart placed eighth in allaround with a 34.6, while also placing third on vault (9.075), fourth on bars (8.475), eighth on beam (8.675) and 12th on floor (8.375). Both Allen and Stewart will compete in the all-around at this week’s state meet after prequalifying on each event during the regular season.
Senior Carlie DeBoer finished 10th in the all-around standings for Hot Springs with a score of 33.225. She also placed sixth on floor (8.875) and ninth on both vault (8.75) and bars (8.075). DeBoer will compete at state this week in those three events as well.
Also earning a medal in the all-around competition for Hot Springs was eighthgrader Brooklyn Smith, who placed 13th (32.075) overall. She was also 10th on beam (8.5) and 15th on vault (8.4). She will compete on those two events at the state meet, along with uneven bars where she earned a score of 7.225 which put her in the top-40 overall from both region meets.
Sophomore Charli Chistiansen will also be competing as an individual at this week’s state meet in Pierre after scoring a 7.25 on the uneven bars, which placed her 16th in Region 2A and in the top-40 overall from both regions as well.
“Along with competing at a region meet comes a bit more nerves to control, but these are a strong group of young ladies,” Coach Nachtigall said. “We did have a few falls throughout, but I am so darn proud of all of them for accomplishing their goal of a four-peat.”
Hot Springs enters this week’s State “A” Championship with the thirdbest team score from regions, behind top-ranked Estelline/ Hendricks with a 142.725 and Madison with a 138.475, both teams from Region 1A. Last season, Hot Springs placed third in the state as a team behind first place Estelline and second place Chamberlain.
Individually, based on scores from throughout the season, Hot Springs’ Kiera Allen is currenlty the No. 3-ranked all-around gymnasts with a 37.3, while also being ranked No. 2 on both bars (9.4) and floor (9.65) and No. 3 on beam (9.6). Junior Peyton Stewart for Hot Springs meanwhile has the No. 1 score on beam (9.7).
“We will get to take 10 girls to represent us as a team in Pierre, with five of those girls also earning their right to compete on individual day,” said Coach Nachtigall, who will also be presented the South Dakota Gymnastics Coaches Association Hall of Fame Award on Day 2 of the State Meet. “Bison Gymnastics has some of the top gymnasts in the state of South Dakota, which represents lots of hard work and perseverance in a very demanding but beautiful sport. Our school should be proud of these girls for once again representing the Hot Springs Bison at their state event. We are excited to see what we do there.”