Local cheerleading duo Vegas bound

A pair of recent Wasilla High School graduates may have to put away the Warrior red and white, but they will soon don the Rebel red and black.

Lisa Pontius and Lindsey Davis will be a part of the University of Nevada Las Vegas cheerleading squad in the fall.

Just prior to graduating from Wasilla High School in May, the Warrior duo learned they would join the Rebel cheer squad.

Pontius and Davis are among a group of 16 who made the team. About 110 athletes tried out for the squad.

The Wasilla duo will be on the UNLV all girls' squad. The school also boasts a coed and dance squad.

Pontius and Davis will cheer for the Rebel sporting events, including the school's Division I football, basketball and baseball programs, in addition to competitions and special events.

Pontius and Davis will both be bases on the squad. A base person on the cheerleading squad is the athlete at the bottom of the pyramid.

"With their assets as bases, they will be very important," Wasilla head cheerleading coach Andrea Everett said. "Besides incredible cheerleaders, they are incredible people. They will be successful in the sport and successful in life."

Pontius and Davis each were on the Wasilla cheer squad for four years. Pontius started her cheer career as a freshman in high school, but Davis has been waving the pom poms for more than seven years.

After success in the sport during high school, each wanted to further her cheerleading career.

Both athletes have won numerous awards during their cheering careers.

Davis and Pontius are two-year NCA All-Americans and Davis has been named a UCA All-Star.

Both cheerleaders won several state awards and Pontius won several awards with the Denali All-Stars.

The pair will head south to Las Vegas on Aug. 1 and the cheerleading season starts Aug. 12.