The Elmira cheer team has found success in their first year of competitions after not competing for a decade, and after winning state more than 30 years ago.
The team took first place in their first competition of the year — and season — at Springfield High School on Jan. 4.
They then traveled to Thurston High School Jan. 11 for the Colt Cheer Challenge, where they finished with third place.
On Feb. 1, the cheer team traveled to Roseburg High School for the Orange and Black Cheer Challenge and took first place once again.
The team has been consistently placing in the traditional cheer category.
Practices have gotten more intense since competitions have begun.
“Practices have definitely gotten harder, but we’ve all gotten used to it,” sophomore Kadence Marvin told Falcon News. “Every day is a little different, but we mainly focus on stunts and sequences.”
The team is proud of how competitions have been going.
“Comps have been going really well, and we have been told by so many people that they can see how amazing we have become since last year!” sophomore cheer captain Shavelle Cook said.
Teamwork has played a key role in their success.
“Competitions have been going great this year and it has shown how hard we have worked all together as a team,” sophomore Aubree Rogers told Falcon News.
Senior cheer captain Alexis Keeney is the team’s only senior this season.
“I’m very excited to compete at state this year and it’s definitely gonna be a memorable year for me,” Keeney said. “I’m definitely gonna miss these girls. They are like a family to me and they made my last year really special!”
The team will perform at the OSAA State Championship on Saturday at Oregon City High School at 6:05 p.m. They will be competing in the traditional cheer category.
The team expressed how they feel going into state and reflected on their season:
Rogers: “I am so excited to compete at state this year. It is going to take everything that we have done and all the work and hours we have put into our routine for one last final shot.”
“This being my first year I think it is going great… I have enjoyed making new friends in the process of it as well. I never expected that we were going to compete in competitions, but honestly it made cheer even more enjoyable than it already was.”
Marvin: “I am very excited for state, I think we’re going to do great and have a lot of fun.”
“I’m very proud of how our team has improved and we always do our best to be the best version of ourselves that we can.”
Sophomore Parker Lusk: “I am so excited to compete at state. It’s been 9-10 years since our schools competed in competitions and I think we’re doing a great job bringing cheer back at Elmira High School. ”
Cook: “I am very excited, I have been looking forward to going to state for a while. We also have been doing really good at our other comps and we have been working really hard, so I feel that we will be able to put another banner in the gym.”
Sophomore Johanna Larsen: “I’m excited to compete at state because we’ve all been working really hard this whole season and we have improved our whole routine a lot. We’ve placed at every competition we’ve been at so far… so I think we’re going to place very well.”
Junior Abby Taubr: “I’m really excited. Just like the experience of everything getting to go up there, and being in a hotel. There’s gonna be so many schools there.”
