Jamestown girls gymnastics opens season with win in Aberdeen

Jamestown High School’s girls gymnastics squad began the 2025 to 2026 competitive season with a win at an Aberdeen meet on December 4, delivering strong rotations across vault, bars, beam and floor. Head coach Bre Carlson reported that the team took multiple top placements on floor and swept several positions on bars and beam, although official meet scores were not available at the time of reporting. The victory gives Jamestown a confidence lift heading into the next meet scheduled for December 11 at Bismarck Gymnastics Academy.

The roster is compact, with eight competing gymnasts, and is anchored by seniors Sutton Van Gilder, Aubrey Krapp, Hayden Olson and McKenna Pettys. Van Gilder is a two time all stater, and both she and Krapp have been working on upgrades and taking on leadership roles to help offset the departure of top scorers from last season. The small roster increases reliance on each athlete to deliver across multiple events, and recent training over the summer and fall appears to have paid off in early season execution.

Coach Carlson and team members describe strong chemistry as a contributing factor to the early success. The program is managing recovery from injuries sustained last year while also adapting to losses through graduation. Those dynamics will shape Jamestown’s competitiveness against deeper programs in the region, but the early meet results suggest the team can contend for high placements if depth holds and upgrades continue to land consistently.

For Stutsman County residents, the season opening win matters beyond the scoreboard. Local high school athletics generate community engagement, drive attendance at meets, and provide development pathways for younger gymnasts in town. The team’s December 11 appearance in Bismarck will be an early test of whether Jamestown can sustain momentum against tougher competition and continue building toward state level goals later in the season.