St. Michael-Albertville senior Jackie Bergeron did not waste a moment in her pursuit of the Class 2A all-around championship, putting up a meet-winning 9.7 on the floor exercise to kick off the evening Saturday at the state championships at Roy Wilkins Auditorium. The lead was hers for the entire meet thereafter, en route to an all-around winning score of 38.35.

"It was kind of stressful knowing you're the first one," Bergeron said. "So having pulled it out was really exciting. But I definitely wasn't expecting it."

Forest Lake's Anna Philipson was second with a 38.15 and Cretin-Derham Hall's Delaney Cunnington third at 37.9.

Bergeron added vault to her evening of championships with a 9.8, and she won on the balance beam at 9.625. An 11th-place result on the uneven bars was all that kept her from a sweep.

She had been a state tournament regular before this season with four previous trips, but before Saturday, state championship hardware had eluded her.

Bergeron was among the favorites going into the meet, having won all four events in the Section 5 meet. "I feel like I peaked at the right time coming from sections because it was a PR. It was kind of like a confidence booster knowing I could do it."

Bergeron showed such confidence that even finishing on the balance beam, the Bermuda Triangle of events, didn't faze her. "Beam is hit or miss, but just knowing this was the last event for my senior year, I just had to hit it," she said. "I just can't believe it's real right now."

The one event Bergeron didn't win went to Cunnington, who took first place on the uneven bars with a 9.725.

Bergeron confirmed that Saturday was her gymnastics swan song. She's giving up gymnastics for track and field in college.

"I'm going to be a pole vaulter at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse," she said. "This is a good way to go out."