By Brooke Markworth
“We got this ladies, this is our moment,” said senior Paige Harry before going out on the competition mat. She looks around at her team, anxiously waiting for their time to perform.
Their coaches Jennifer and Trent Larriou give them words of encouragement before going on the mat in hopes of bringing home the State Title to Sheyenne High School.
Throughout the years, especially the last three months, the Sheyenne Cheer Team prepared for the moment they would compete to bring home the “North Dakota Cheer State Title.”
They’ve been on a strict practice schedule that consisted of three-hour practices four days a week. During practice, the cheerleaders worked on kicks, jumps, stunts, tumbling, and cheers.
During the competition, held in Minot, the Sheyenne Cheer Team participated in events called “Game Day” and “Cheer Dance.”
The ”Cheer Dance” routine is a two-minute and thirty-second performance. Throughout the routine, the cheerleaders must memorize five formations, two dances, three stunt sequences, and a pyramid at the end. Every part of the routine must be perfectly timed.
While competing, the team is scored on Cheerleading Fundamentals and Choreography. The Fundamentals category is judged on Motion Technique, Stunts/Pyramid, Dance, Jumps, Tumbling, and Vocal Expressions. However, choreography is based on Spacing, Formations, Transition, Flow, Crowd Appeal, and Overall Performance. The cheer team can earn up to 100 total points.
The team also competed in the “Game Day” event, which consists of an offensive or defensive cheer, as well as performing their school song or a dance. The performance has a time limit of two minutes.
“Game Day” is judged on a sideline chant and a sideline dance/school song. Some things the judges look for in the routine are Crowd Effectiveness, Motion Technique, Execution of Skills, Overall Impression, and Sycronization.
Senior Paige Harry participated in her own “All around Cheerleader Challenge,” which involved a tumbling pass of the cheerleader’s choice and an independent cheer for crowd involvement. They are judged on Tumbling, Motion Technique, Jumps, Voice/Facial Expressions, and Overall Impression. A cheerleader can earn up to 40 points in total.
Claire Upton and Paige Harry were involved in “Jump Off.” Each team was allowed two cheerleaders to participate in this event. Cheerleaders from all around North Dakota go against two other cheerleaders to show off their best jumping skills. In the first round, the cheerleaders have to perform a toe touch jump. If they continue on, the cheerleader must do a toe touch and jump of choice. A jump of choice could include a pike jump, right hurdler, left hurdler, right herkey, or left herkey. Although the girls didn’t win, they both made it into the final round.
The competiton team has fourteen members. However, only eleven of them actually competed. The cheerleaders range from 8th-12th graders.
The student managers are senior Haley Delagarza and junior Claire Upton. The captains on the team are senior Paige Harry and junior Brooke Markworth. Every member on the team makes a huge impact including Ceres Lee, Larissa Reynolds, Alyssa Hongerholt, Loghan Messmer, Mickey Richter, Abbie Chesser, Angella Clark, Mia Wenzel, Ali Spray, and Akeelah Wetty.
Overall, the team placed sixth in both events for the North Dakota State Cheer Competition. The team is looking forward to another eventful competition season!
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