SIOUX FALLS – While scores are not yet official, the Aberdeen Central gymnastics team posted its top team score of the season during the State AA Qualifier competition Saturday.

The Golden Eagles had to jump through some pre-meet hoops, some brought on by weather and others by a last-minute change of venue, but Central coach Mickey Everson said her team handled the changes as well as it could.

“We just went with the flow and took the opportunity to get a good night’s sleep, healthy meals and even some mental imaging and relaxation before the meet,” Everson said. 

While the upheaval certainly took its toll, Everson said she and the coaching staff were able to mix it up a little bit with each individual athlete, plus some pre-meet icing, heating and wrapping.

And an impromptu dance party.

“Right before we started, we had a quick, fun dance with another team to loosen up and get in the mindset of high energy,” Everson said. “It all paid off. These girls performed their hearts out. Our energy, sportsmanship and doing what we asked of them made the coaching staff so proud.”

Central finished with a team score of 136.9, its highest of the season.

“(That’s) what we wanted for this meet,” Everson said. “When it matters.”

Maddy Walberg, who had previously pre-qualified on the vault earlier in the season, did the same on beam with her efforts on Saturday, Everson said. Regan Lust claimed a spot on the floor exercise. The remainder of the individual fields will be made official today.

The state gymnastics competition is scheduled for Feb. 14-15 in Watertown.

Complete results can be found here: https://www.scoreflippers.com/insight/meet_scores_simple.aspx?meetid=34436