Located at the UCCU Center in Orem, the state cheer competitions were held Thursday, January 25, where teams competed for top recognition in the areas of dance, cheer, and show. Each performance highlighted different skills of rhythm, vaults, gymnastics, flag waving, and use of signage.
Piute High School’s cheerleaders took first place at state in the co-ed competition. In the all-girl competition, Wayne High School took 4th, after Rich, Tabiona and Monticello.
Last year was the first season that UHSAA recognized Cheer as a sport independent of other sports and not merely an appendage to them. To begin with, the 2A and 1A regions were combined. This year, 1A had its own category.
Wayne Takes 4th in All-Girls
With three events to memorize and polish, all participants were stretched. Kylee from Wayne High School said, “We were all a little sick to our stomachs but after doing our show routine, we all feel a lot more relaxed.”
Wayne’s cheer coach Katie Snedeger said that “The girls have worked really hard, battling injuries and losing teammates. For an extremely small school with only 13 active cheerleaders, getting to state is a huge accomplishment. Four years ago, we only had four girls. Now we average 15-20 girls through building the program.”
When asked what her biggest challenge has been, Snedeger replied, “Some girls have never danced or cheered before, so they are starting from scratch.” Congratulations, Wayne, for making it to state under those conditions. Wayne placed 4th in the overall All-Girl Competition.
Panguitch Takes 3rd in Co-Ed
Panguitch placed third in the show category and third in the overall co-ed state competition. Cheerleaders shared their feelings before going out on the floor. Jocelyn said “I’m really excited and really proud of our team for making it this far after losing four girls. It’s been a tough season.”
Kyzlee added, “I’m proud we qualified for all three of our routines.”
Paisley summed it up with, “We did it for Aurrora.”
Bryce Valley Takes 2nd in Co-Ed
Bryce Valley High School, which took 1st place in region and 2nd place in the show category and state co-ed competition, put their pom pom-waving enthusiasm on full display. Janice and Cole Twitchell commented, “This is a year-round sport, and the girls deserve the same respect as other sports. They put in as much time as the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.”
Nancy Chynoweth, a cheer grandma, declared, “It’s great for the public to realize that cheer is an actual sport. It is hard work and competitive just like other sports.”
Sammie Ott, a BVHS cheer mom, added, “They have worked super hard. It is fun to see them showcase all their hard work. There were tears when they wished they’d done better, but that’s an important life lesson.”
Piute Cheerleaders Take State in Co-Ed
Piute went all out and took the win with first place in the dance, cheer, show, and game time categories, securing the title for 1A state co-ed cheer champions. Jenny, a cheer mom who acknowledged this was her senior’s last year to compete, said, “We are really proud of her. It’s hard to watch her grow up.”
Through all the sweat, sacrifice, and effort, these cheerleaders are indeed growing up into individuals who know how to set high goals and fly to reach them. They know what it takes to reach those goals. Their participation in cheer is a fantastic preparation for their next ambition.
Kami Gass, cheer mom, agrees. “Following our kids around to watch them in high school extracurricular activities has been crazy busy, but one of the biggest highlights of my life. High school sports teaches so many life lessons that prepare kids to be respectful and responsible adults, and cheerleading is no exception. I’ve watched this team work so hard this season — especially the last three weeks. I am so happy for them and that their hard work paid off. With or without the first-place trophy, this is an amazing group of kids – the trophy is just the icing on the cake!”
Hard Work Pays Off
Kinley, a cheerleader from Piute shared, “It’s a great feeling that all our hard work paid off. We feel like we performed to the best of our ability, and we’re so proud of how much we’ve improved this season. We have to thank our coaches for pushing us this last month and believing in us throughout it all. We couldn’t be happier with our results!”
Her sentiments were echoed by fellow team members. Sage said, “It was really rewarding to see our hard work pay off.” Hadley added, “It was a dream that we made come true.”
‘We Can’t Say Enough How Much We Love These Kids’
The girls were coached long and hard by two very dedicated women who saw the girls’ potential and developed it through hours of training.
Coach Carol and Coach Priscilla sent this joint comment about the girls and their win, saying, “Their hard work, dedication, and spirit truly shone on the mat. Each of our athletes contributed to creating winning routines that showcased not only their skills but also the unity of our team. We are incredibly proud of their achievement and the positive energy and spirit they bring to our school. Their commitment to excellence and teamwork has not gone unnoticed. We can’t say enough how much we love these kids.”
– The Byway
