Competitions begin for cheering teams
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Home court proved advantageous for the Caribou cheering squad Friday evening as the Vikings captured the 2013 Aroostook League Cheerleading Competition crown before a packed house.
PANTHER CHEERLEADERS, from left, Jordan Canney, Brittany Drost and Alexis Brewer get held up by teammates during their routine at Friday’s Aroostook County Championships.
KELLSEY MICHAUD puts some expression into her Presque Isle squad’s cheering routine during Friday’s Aroostook County competition held at Caribou High School.
REBECCA THERIAULT of the Fort Fairfield Tigers does a cheer atop a stunt during Friday’s competition held at Caribou High School.
Team scores for the event were: 1, Caribou, 67.9; 2, Presque Isle, 66.3; 3, Houlton, 56.4; 4, Central Aroostook, 52.8; and 5, Fort Fairfield, 41.1.
Next up for the County teams will be preparing for the Eastern Maine regional competitions at the Bangor Auditorium Saturday, Jan. 26.
Presque Isle, who also finished as PVC large school runner-up on Saturday, had a strong all-around performance at the County event.
“I am extremely proud of my team’s finish,” said Wildcat coach Jenna Bradstreet. “Our main focus was to increase our dance, motion, and performance scores from the previous weekend’s competition. To walk away with best team dance and motions was the greatest accomplishment for us.”
Considering the relative inexperience of her squad, Bradstreet said she was thrilled with their effort.
“Overall, we are a young team,” she said. “Every time we step out on the mat we grow stronger and more confident in our performance. I am very proud of the hard work and dedication that every member of the team has put in this season. We are going to continue to work on our performance and cleaning our routine for our regional competition.”
Central Aroostook, the six-time defending state Class D champion, had a solid overall routine, considering the youth of the team.
“We have a young team with only two seniors, so we felt our first competition went well,” said coach Sami Allen. “We had a clean routine and we are very proud of girls. We will continue to work on the little things to make the routine even better.”
Individual awards were presented in the following categories: tumbling, Jessica Sedar, Caribou and Crystal Nason, Houlton; jumping, Alexis Brewer, CAHS and Lauren Bragan, Houlton; and stunting group, Caribou.
Team awards were: spirit award, Fort Fairfield; team dance, Presque Isle; team tumbling, Caribou; team motions, Presque Isle; team jumps, Caribou; and team stunts, Caribou.
The All-Star Gymnastics team performed a routine, as did the middle school champion Central Aroostook (small school) and Caribou (large school).
