The Houlton High School cheerleaders are beginning their competition season on Friday night in Caribou, with the performances starting at 7 p.m.
The Houlton cheerleaders are taking what they did at the “Night of Cheer” held Jan. 6 and making adjustments to their routine.
“We had a girl get injured before the night of the performance,” said coach Michelle Sullivan. “We did not have time to account for her being gone. But, we thought our performance that night looked good. We have time to practice and compete in other competitions before going to the Eastern Maine Championships.”
Coach Renae Foley added, “We now have rearranged the groups so we are able to perform all of our stunts at competition.”
During competition, judges look for the team’s symmetry and solid motions. They will observe the cheerleaders’ faces for smiles, while they execute stunts and jumps properly, along with carrying out a smooth transition in-between movements.
“They are also looking for showmanship in tumbling, along with tumbling technique,” added the coaches.
This year’s routine theme for Houlton is “Shire Fire.” The coaches explained that the routine is very fast, has intricate dance with more footwork this year and is high energy. There are several stunts, including a flip, heel stretch and arabesque. Of course, there is also a pyramid, which is rated difficult, as it involves all stunt groups, including a one-man stunt before the cheer.
There will be a new award presented at the Aroostook League Competition on Friday night, as well. Before the season started, cheerleading coaches throughout The County met to discuss parameters for an All-Aroostook Award. The award is already being given out in other sports.
To be nominated for All-Aroostook in cheerleading, coaches may nominate 25 percent of the team. Those who are nominated will wear dedicated ribbons at the Caribou competition and will be judged at that time. The judges will then decide on a final list of All-Aroostook recipients to be announced.
All-Aroostook nominees from the Houlton High School cheerleading squad are: senior Morgan Wotton; junior Katie Knights; and sophomore Megan McLaughlin.
The Houlton cheerleaders, according to their coaches, “are an experienced and talented group.” The girls are bouncing back from the flu, as well as injury. Both coaches are hoping each member of the team is healthy for the Eastern Maine Championships on Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
The Houlton cheerleaders have four new girls on the team, two freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. Cheering for Houlton are seniors: Wotton, Jaclyn Condon, Hayley Flewelling, Jennah Rand, Caleigh Sullivan and Autumn London; juniors, Knights, Taylor Barnes, Abby Fore and Kayla McCarthy; sophomores, McLaughlin, Hannah Foley; Hannah Jacobs, Chloe Davis, Tessa Roshto, Lexi Fore, Toni MacDonald, Medinah Diane, Sarah Delano and Rachel Toupin; and freshmen, Anessa Wilde and Cassie Butler.
The next time the Houlton cheerleaders will compete after Friday night is on Saturday at the Penobscot Valley Conference Championships at 10 a.m. in Lincoln. The next stop is the Eastern Maine Regionals on Saturday, Jan. 24 and the state meet is Saturday, Feb. 7, in Augusta.