BY CAITLIN LAFLOWER
The co-ed cheerleading team made it to all it all the way to the final round of Nationals and finished 5th and 7th out of the 58 teams who qualified to compete in The National High School Cheerleading Championships at Disney World from February 9 to February 11. On February 24 and February 25, they won the NJCDCA NJ Group IV State Championship and Coed Varsity State Champions, receiving the highest score out of every group that performed.
To qualify for finals at Nationals, the team performed their routines in the preliminary round on February 9 and in the semifinals on February 10. Advancing to finals required teams to score in the top 50% in each previous round. “I was so happy,” shared Alina Branco. “We all found out together and started jumping and screaming.”
Success at this level required dedication and hard work. “We practiced after school every day from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, working and conditioning. We would even come in early on weekends if we needed to,” said Kaiden Simpson. “The team also practiced every day we were down in Florida before we competed and after.”
Prior to this season, the team had not made it to finals since 2019. Hours spent polishing their routines proved successful when the news hit of the team’s advancement. “In previous years, we have walked out of ESPN disappointed, and to finally hear our name be called to move on was insane,” shared Carly Arnold. “All the summer practices, after-school practices, and extra hours really paid off when we hit the ending pyramid, and when I saw my coaches going crazy.”
For returning members, performing for the first time as a co-ed team at Nationals differed from prior years. With the addition of boys, the team transferred to a new division and received different scoring than all-girls teams. “We got a lot more attention this year from other teams, including other coed teams,” added Kendall Nebbia. “They all said how good we were, and they couldn’t believe this was our first year being co-ed.”
Even in high pressure situations, creating a supportive environment remained a priority. “We all hyped each other up and cheered each other on through practices and routines,” shared Nebbia.
The team’s success at Nationals left a lasting impact on the team. “It just felt unreal, knowing all the hard work we put into our routines finally paid off and just hitting the mat with such a talented team is really an unexplainable feeling,” Simpson said.
With Nationals behind them, the team competed in the NJCDCA State Championship on February 24 and February 25. They won the titles of NJ Group IV and Coed Varsity State Champions and received the highest score out of every group that performed. “All my years of hard work and dedication to the sport finally paid off,” said senior Julia D’Andrea.
The team competed against schools such as Hunterdon Central, Jackson, Marlboro, Edison, and East Brunswick. “I’ve done this routine 100 times,” Madison Sicinski told herself to stay focused despite the pressure.
Ending the season on a high note boosted the team’s morale further. “It felt amazing to have had such a great season and finish it off with two State wins,” said Branco.
The co-ed cheerleading team had an incredible season, finishing undefeated in the Northeast Region, with multiple titles under their belts, and having learned valuable lessons to aid their next season. “We need to work hard, believe in each other, and do our jobs. Then, the rest is out of our hands,” said Grace Cassiliano.
Posted on 3/5/24
Photos provided by Lors Photography and Christine Cotugno
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