Regionals next for cheering squads
By Joseph Cyr
Sports Editor
BANGOR — Cheering squads from Presque Isle, Caribou, Central Aroostook and Fort Fairfield will be heading to the Bangor Auditorium Saturday to participate in the regional competitions. The top six finishers in each competition will advance to the state championships Saturday, Feb. 12, also in Bangor.
The day-long event begins with the Class D competition, starting at 9 a.m. Central Aroostook and Fort Fairfield will be competing with other Eastern and Western squads as the two regions are combined for Class D cheering.
CAHS hopes to earn a return trip to the state competition so it can defend its title. The Panthers are three-time defending state Class D champs and have won eight state titles overall.
“I am hoping to improve our stunt and dance scores before Regionals,” CAHS coach Sami Allen said. “We are going to be changing a stunt sequence that has been giving us some trouble these past couple of weeks and also adding little parts to our dance to make it more difficult.”
Following the Class D event, the Class C East competition begins at 11:35 a.m. followed by the Class B event at about 3:10 p.m.
In Class B, Presque Isle and Caribou will try to knock off three-time regional champion Hermon.
“We really need to clean things up,” PI coach Jolene Kinney said. “It appears that the scores are much lower across the board this year because we placed third and scored a 116.5 at PVCs. Last year, that score would not have gotten us even sixth place. Interesting is all I can say.”
The Wildcats lost seven seniors from a squad that qualified for States with its third-place finish at the Regionals.
“With only one senior this year and eight new athletes, it has been a challenge, but I am super proud at what we have accomplished,” Kinney said. “I am looking forward to the regional competition and hoping that we can move on to States.”
