Cheer squads win state titles

DARRELL L. BREESE/ Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Go! Fight! Win! Valley cheer squads dominate state championships!

Cheerleaders from Colony and Wasilla High School put their spirit to the test last weekend at the 19th-annual Alaska Spirit Coaches Association state cheerleading championships at Chugiak High School, and each brought home state championships.

The Knights triumphed in the varsity medium-squad division and were also named the overall high school champions, edging out Wasilla. The Warriors earned their second-consecutive team title in the varsity large-squad division.

Girls from both schools joined forces with cheerleaders from Palmer High and several Anchorage high schools on the Wasilla-based Denali All-Stars cheer team, to be crowned the overall grand champions.

Under the direction of coach Andrea Everett, a former state champion cheerleader herself, the team of 20 Warriors topped a field of 27 teams for the large-squad varsity title.

Working together like a finely-tuned machine, the Wasilla cheerleaders completed a routine packed full of cheers, tumbling, dance and high-flying acrobatic stunts.

Their 2.5-minute dance performance was accompanied by music from the James Bond, Austin Powers and Charlie's Angels flicks.

According to Everett, the routine was nearly flawless and earned them a score of 347 points out of a possible 400 - 15 points better than runner-up South Anchorage High School.

Colony brought home top honors in the medium-squad division with a standout performance from the school's 18 cheerleaders. Collecting 352 points from the judges, the Knights narrowly topped Wasilla for the title of best high school squad in the state.

&#8220Stunting and overall choreography were the deciding factors that helped both teams succeed,” Everett said of Wasilla and Colony's victories. &#8220There was a higher level of skill presented in both performances.”

The five man stunt teams from both Colony and Wasilla reigned supreme, claiming the top two places for their one-minute routines, which included tumbling, jumps and high-flying basket tosses.

Seven girls of the Wasilla team and 13 from the Colony squad made up the largest portion of the 35 members of the Denali All-Stars, which was the class of the competition. Scoring 370 points, they easily won the all-star contest and also took the overall grand champion honors, ahead of runner-up Colony and third-place Wasilla.

Everett emphasized that competitive cheerleading is quite different from what most people see on the sidelines during football and basketball games.

&#8220It's a combination of cheer, gymnastics and dance,” Colony cheer coach Christy Johnston said. &#8220I've found that while most people recognize that a certain level of athletic ability is needed to cheer, they don't understand the true athletic nature of cheerleading.”

&#8220It's more than just chants and waving pom poms,” Everett added. &#8220I try to get my girls into the weight room at least once a week and we run a mile before every practice. On top of that, the girls need to have a certain level of gymnastic ability and often perform 50-100 jumps at each practice.”

In addition to winning the medium-squad title, Colony also claimed the junior varsity team crown and placed second in the five-person JV team competition. Under the direction of coach of the year Chris Hebert, Colony Middle School also won a state championship.

Seven of the top eight individual finishers were from Valley squads, including first-place finisher Amy Stoppa of Colony and Palmer's Colby Neilson, whose eighth place was the highest finish by a male competitor. Stoppa received a $1,000 scholarship for her victory.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.