BANGOR, Maine — Three local cheering squads are advancing to the state competition following strong routines at the regional event Saturday at the Cross Insurance Center.
Central Aroostook (Class D), Presque Isle (Class B) and Houlton (Class C) are all moving on to the state competition, to be held Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Augusta Civic Center.
It has been a big winter to date at Central Aroostook High School in Mars Hill. Both the school’s boys and girls varsity basketball teams are ranked No. 1 in Class C North — with a combined 25-4 record entering the final two weeks of the regular season.
Now perhaps the most predictable winter sports success story at the school has joined in the Panthers’ party, as five-time defending state champion Central Aroostook avenged a rare loss last year by winning Saturday’s Class D North/South cheering championship at the Cross Insurance Center.
“It’s been fabulous,” said Sami Jo Allen, who coaches the Central Aroostook cheer team with Janice Lyons. “We have a lot of success going on right now. We’re excited for the season to get into full swing.
“We’re blessed with good kids.”
The Panthers used their all-around strength, particularly in tumbling and stunts, to score 75.3 points in the combined regional.
‘We work on stunts and try to make them difficult,” Allen said. “Our tumbling is beautiful. We have strong jumpers. I don’t personally think we’re weak in any area, and I was very happy with everything they did today.”
Penobscot Valley Conference Class D champion Penobscot Valley of Howland, which defeated Central Aroostook at last year’s regional before finishing second to the Panthers at states, finished second among the eight participating schools with 67.9 points. Fort Fairfield, with 42.5 points, placed eighth Saturday and did not qualify for the state event.
Members of the North/South champion Central Aroostook squad are Megan Brewer, Audree Burtt, Natalie Carson, Emma Fletcher, Gracie Giberson, Daisy Grant, Amy Gerritsen, Elizabeth Hotham, Madison Howlett, Mersaydez Johnston, Olivia Pelletier, Jenna Rusby, Jack Schafer, Janelle Tweedie and Jillian Tweedie.
Wildcats advance
In the Class B competition, Presque Isle scored 70.1 points to place fourth behind Ellsworth, Hermon and Old Town. By finishing among the top six in the division, coach Kelsie Spooner’s Wildcats made it into the Feb. 9 state competition.
The Caribou High School cheerleaders perform their routine during Saturday’s Class B North regional at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. The Vikings placed 10th overall. (Pete Warner | BDN)
Rachel Fisher’s Caribou squad, with 51.9 points, placed 10th out of 15 teams and did not advance.
Members of the Presque Isle squad are Delaney Alward, Hana Boucher, Taylor Hedrich, Jeanna Knight, Clara Kohlbacher, Emma Kohlbacher, Sophia Lambert Anna Mautz, Claire Mautz, Alexis Moro, Alexa Perkins, Rebekah Poliero, Brooke Schneider and alternate Sydney Robichaud.
Shires place third
In the Class C competition, Central of Corinth was the top squad with a score of 73.1, followed by Sumner (71.2) in second and Houlton (65.4) in third, just one-tenth of a point ahead of fourth-place Mattanawcook Academy (65.3).
Senior Tessa Solomon, who switched from basketball to cheering this year, said competing for the first time at a regionals was an incredible experience.
“It was the best,” Solomon said. “Everyone has been so supportive of me this year and I just had a really great time.”
The Shires routine has evolved over the past few weeks to up the “wow” factor, Solomon said.
Houlton cheerleaders perform one of their stunts at the Class C North competition Saturday at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Shires include, bottom from left, Emily Shaw, Paige Ford, Sidney Peabody, Emmalyne Drake, Hannah Foster, Taylor Cowan, Hannah Pierce and Tessa Solomon; and top, Isabelle Cosby, Kate Smith, Hailey Hipsley, Morgan Harris and Eden Davis. (Joseph Cyr)
“We got comfortable with the routine very early, so after that first competition (the Aroostook League), we realized we had to add some stuff. It’s always building.”
Senior Taylor Cowan, who has been with the squad all four years, said she was excited to be heading back to the state meet again this season.
“We were really happy with our routine,” Cowan said. “We hit things that did not hit at our last competition. And we nailed all the improvements we made last week. It’s so much more exciting competing down here (in Bangor). The adrenaline rush is so much higher.”
Julie Dunn, who coaches the Shires along with Renae Foley and Maggie Russell, said the Shires nailed a personal goal she had for the club.
“I really wanted us to make the top three,” Dunn said. “We had to put in a whole new pyramid, and change up some other things. These next two weeks are the best and the worst, because now we will be nit-picking every little detail trying to clean things up.”
The roster for the 2018-19 Shiretowners is Cowan, Brittany Fitzpatrick, Makenzie Fitzpatrick, Hannah Pierce, Kate Smith, Solomon, Isabelle Cosby, Lexi Crouse, Paige Ford, Emily Shaw, Emmalyne Drake, Hannah Foster, Morgan Harris, Kalle Neureuther, Sidney Peabody, Eden Davis and Hailey Hipsley. Alyssa Drake is the team’s manager.
Staff Writers Joseph Cyr and Kevin Sjoberg contributed to this article.
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- Houlton’s Morgan Harris flies through the air at the Class C North championship Saturday at the Cross Insurance Center. (Joseph Cyr)
