MILBANK – Sterling Mertens won two events and the all-around title to help power Britton-Hecla to the team championship during the Milbank Invitational gymnastics meet on Saturday.

Aberdeen Central finished third with a total of 128.450.

“This is the first time we have been to this meet, so we were excited to see new teams and a new venue,” said Central coach Mickey Everson. “We started strong on bars, but scores were lower than we would have liked. Beam was a struggle again, better than Tuesday, but still too many falls and missed connections. For floor we fueled up during a quick break and had great performances by everyone.”

Then came the vault, where the Golden Eagles had a difficult time.

“I honestly don’t even know what happened, but we weren’t able to complete vaults we do all the time,” Everson said.

Mertens won the vault with Central’s Johanna Jarrott taking second. Mertens also won the bars, was second on floor and ended up winning the all-around.

Deuel’s Hannah Cutshaw, who won the beam and floor, ended up second in all-around.

Central has had a very busy start to the season, which Everson said may have played a role in Saturday’s performances.

“We have one more meet on Tuesday (hosting a triangular) and then Holiday break. We kind of need it right now to regroup, rest and recover,” Everson said.

She knows what the Golden Eagles are capable of doing.

“Our team placing third was exciting, but also frustrating as we just scored 132 on Tuesday and that’s what the first place team got,” Everson said. “We are capable, it just all has to come together four times in one meet. We look forward to the challenge.”

Team Points: Britton-Hecla 132.250, Deuel 131.900, Aberdeen Central 128.450, Vermillion 126.500, Milbank 121.600, Sisseton 118.800, West Central 44.550.

Vault: 1, Sterling Mertens, Britton-Hecla, 8.900; 2, Johanna Jarrott, Aberdeen Central, 15.800; 3, Abigail Lee, Britton-Hecla, 8.500; 4, Hope Bjerke, Deuel, 8.400; 5, (tie) Hannah Cutshaw, Deuel, 8.300, and Addison Everson, Aberdeen Central, 8.300; 7, Breckan Santjer, Aberdeen Central, 8.250; 8, (tie) Laycee Anderson, Deuel, 8.200, Izzy Metz, Sisseton, 8.200, Hannah Brown, Milbank, 8.200, and Kaegan Fredrickson, Britton-Hecla, 8.200.

Bars: 1, Sterling Mertens, Britton-Hecla, 8.550; 2, Hope Bjerke, Deuel, 8.350; 3, Emma Kraft, Britton-Hecla, 8.000; 4, Abigail Lee, Britton-Hecla, 7.800; 5, Izzy Loecker, Aberdeen Central, 7.550; 6, Laycee Anderson, Deuel, 7.400; 7, (tie) Hannah Cutshaw, Deuel, 7.350, and Izzy Metz, Sisseton, 7.350; 9, Addison Everson, Aberdeen Central, 7.250; 10, Serena Gapp, Vermillion, 7.150.

Beam: 1, Hannah Cutshaw, Deuel, 9.00; 2, Laycee Andersen, Deuel, 8.750; 3, Macyn Dunnihoo, Milbank, 8.600; 4, Tori Farmer, Vermillion, 8.500; 5, (tie) Serena Gapp, Vermillion, 8.300, and Navaeh Smith, Vermillion, 8.300; 7, Kennady VanLith, Britton-Hecla, 8.250; 8, Kaegan Fredrickson, Britton-Hecla, 8.200; 9, Breckan Santjer, Aberdeen Central, 8.150; 10, (tie) Izzy Metz, Sisseton, 8.050, and Regan Lust, Aberdeen Central, 8.050.

Floor Exercise: 1, Hannah Cutshaw, Deuel, 9.450; 2, Sterling Mertens, Britton-Hecla, 9.450; 3, Macyn Dunnihoo, Milbank, 9.150; 4, Hannah Brown, Milbank, 9.050; 5, Hope Bjerke, Deuel, 9.000; 6, Kaegan Fredrickson, Britton-Hecla, 8.950; 7, (tie) Alexis Bomesberger, Aberdeen Central, 8.850, and Kennady VanLith, Britton-Hecla, 8.850; 9, Regan Lust, Aberdeen Central, 8.800; 10, Jaelee Grupe, Britton-Hecla, 8.750.

All-Around: 1, Sterling Mertens, Britton-Hecla, 34.150; 2, Hannah Cutshaw, Deuel, 34.100; 3, Laycee Andersen, Deuel, 33.050; 4, Macyn Dunnihoo, Milbank, 32.500; 5, Serena Gapp, Vermillion, 32.300; 6, Tori Farmer, Vermillion, 32.050; 7, (tie) Kaegan Fredrickson, Britton-Hecla, 32.000, and Abigail Lee, Britton-Hecla, 32.000; 9, Izzy Metz, Sisseton, 31.850; 10, Addison Everson, Aberdeen Central, 31.650.