Aberdeen Central finished runner-up at a gymnastics triangular it hosted on Thursday night.

Watertown won the event, and the Golden Eagles just missed their previous best total, finishing with a team score of 132 points as they prepare to host the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet on Saturday.

“With our team score, we were only a few tenths lower than our season high,” said Central coach Mickey Everson, “which was exciting and makes me hopeful for what we can put together for ESD on Saturday on our home turf.”

The Golden Eagles set the tone for the night with a strong performance on the vault.

Hattie Gederos led three Central gymnasts who placed in the top five with a third-place finish.

The freshman said there are different components when it comes to vaulting.

“I think it’s just drilling it in practice, really working hard, doing different drills, getting all those pieces and then just put them together,” Gederos said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Gederos said it takes a combination of technique and speed among other things.

“I think it’s just all of it,” she said. “You have to run fast, and you have to really punch off the vault. It just takes putting it all together.”

While there are certain physical benchmarks to hit, Gederos said the mental aspect is even more important.

“I think gymnastics is definitely more of a mental sport than a physical sport,” Gederos said. “I just think it’s very easy to get into your head. Once you get in your head, that’s how you fail.”

Central’s Regan Lust won the beam, was third in floor exercise and third in all-around. Lust had a personal record 9.4 on the beam.

“We finished on floor with good routines with a few areas of ‘nontypical blips,’ so easy to fix,” Everson said, “and a few really good solid routines.

Gederos finished fifth in all-around.

She said the key is just finding satisfaction is knowing that she did her best.

“No matter your scores, no matter what your place, I think it’s just being proud yourself at the end of the meet,” Gederos said.

Team points: Watertown 144.25, Aberdeen Central 132, Huron 122.35.

Vault: 1, Shaun Evenson, Watertown, 9.2; 2, Lyric Diedrich, Watertown, 9.0; 3, Hattie Gederos, Aberdeen Central, 8.95; 4, Regan Lust, Aberdeen Central, 8.9; 5, Alexis Bomesberger, Aberdeen Central, 8.85.

Bars: 1, Elly Dingsor, Watertown, 9.25; 2, Emery Gaikowski, Watertown, 8.9; 3, Macy Olsen, Watertown, 8.85; 4, Shauna Evenson, Watertown, 8.3; 5, Ashleynn Andrews, Watertown, 7.8.

Beam: 1, Regan Lust, Aberdeen Central, 9.4; 2, Macy Olsen, Watertown, 9.35; 3, Ella Palmquist, Watertown, 9.2; 4, Shauna Evenson, Watertown, 9.15; 5, Elly Dingsor, Watertown, 8.95.

Floor: 1, Shauna Evenson, Watertown, 9.7; 2, Emery Gaikowski, Watertown, 9.45; 3, Regan Lust, Aberdeen Central, 9.3; 4, Lyric Diedrich, Watertown, 9.15; 5, Elly Dingsor, Watertown, 9.05.

All-Around: 1, Shauna Evenson, Watertown, 36.35; 2, Emery Gaikowski, Watertown, 35.55; 3, Regan Lust, Aberdeen Central, 35.1; 4, Ellie Puterbaugh, Huron, 33.55; 5, Hattie Gederos, Aberdeen Central, 33.1.

Other Aberdeen Central results

Vault: Morgan Griebel, 8.5.

Bars: Morgan Griebel, 7.6; Hattie Gederos, 7.6; Regan Lust, 7.5; Alexis Bomesberger, 7.3; Ryliee Zens, 6.3.

Beam: Hattie Gederos, 8.15; Alexis Bomesberger, 7.95; Ryliee Zens, 7.15; Morgan Griebel, 6.8.

Floor: Hattie Gederos, 8.4; Morgan Griebel, 8.35; Alexis Bomesberger, 8.1.

All-Around: Alexis Bomesberger, 32.2; Morgan Griebel, 31.25; Ryliee Zens, 13.45.