PIERRE - Gymnasts looked to get the big bounce on the way to next week's state gymnastics meet Thursday at the Region 4A competition.

Both Rapid City Central and Pierre got plenty of momentum. The Lady Cobblers, behind all-around champion Hollie Bloom, took the team championship with a season high score of 143.825. The Lady Govs were also in high spirits as they broke the school record in team points with a 137.9.

"It was unexpected, and I'm extremely proud of their efforts," Pierre coach Nicki Abels said. "Our beam was not near as strong as it was Saturday (at the ESD meet)."

Pierre also overtook Rapid City Stevens in team standings as the Raiders turned in a 135.425. The Lady Govs had not beaten Stevens in a gymnastics meet since 1982. The Lady Govs were able to make up the difference on Stevens on the other three events, including a 2.6-point advantage on the bars.

Jenna Goehring was a major part of the new high. The junior took third in the all-around with a score of 36.9.

That also was a new team record, smashing the old mark of 36.0 by Debbie Herr in 1991. Goehring won the floor exercise with a score of 9.65 and was second on the beam with a 9.475. Both were new school individual records. Shelby Abels, who was hampered by an injured ankle, took second on the bars with a 9.1.

"It was totally the team," Goehring said. "We had our best ever day on the floor."

Pierre floor performance was the final event of the night and the Lady Govs were trailing Stevens after three events.

"We weren't looking at the scores so we didn't know that," said Goehring, who will be competing in her fourth state tournament next week.

Bloom won first place in both the beam (9.5) and the vault (9.45) and recorded an all-around score of 37.5, a season high. Senior Jenna Schroeder of Stevens was the region champion on the bars with a 9.45. score and was runner-up in the all-around at 37.25.

"Overall, it was a good meet for Stevens," said coach Randy Hagen, who directs both Central and Stevens. "We took some scores that were somewhat low, and that affected the outcome."

Qualifying for state in the all-around along with Bloom were teammates Brandee Roach, Courtney Crandall, Shayna Reub and Ally Kraemer. Roach is just a seventh grader, Crandall in the eight grade and Kraemer and Reub are sophomores. Allysa Derby of Stevens and Cheyna Lodge of Pierre round out the automatic qualifiers. Lodge is an eighth grader.

"(The Cobblers) competed with great intensity, and it showed with our highest score of the year," Hagen said. "I was pretty proud of both teams. This is what you work for all year. The regional meet gets you ready for state where you want your best performance."

Competing alongside the three Western teams were Aberdeen Central, Mitchell and Huron from Region 3A. The defending state champions from Mitchell dominated, getting 27 of the 47 individual medals. The Kernels posted a 150.625 score, five days after earning a 150.05 at the ESD meet at Riggs. Brooke Cersosimo, defending state all-around champion overtook ESD champion Amelia Rew 38.2-37.825 in the all-around.

"Mitchell is a quality team," Hagen said. "Both Central and Stevens has gone down that road before, and we're coming back. We're going to soon be in the position of again vying for titles."

Hagen expects his two team leaders, Schroeder and Bloom, to do very well at state.

"Jenna is a veteran who has been hampered a little with a knee injury but she's performed well," he said. "She's got the experience to perform well at state. Heidi is a very dynamic athlete and embraces the pressure. At the state meet, being able to perform under pressure separates the great athletes from the good athletes."

The state meet begins Feb. 16 in Brookings.