Cheer competes in new Nationals category

Senior Kendall Nebbia cheers while holding a “fight” sign as the team begins to perform.

BY JAMIE HAZEL

Sports Editor

The Cheerleading team travelled to Walt Disney World to compete in the Universal Cheerleaders Association National High School Cheerleading Championship from February 6-8. Accompanied by the drumline and dance team, they competed in a brand-new category, Varsity Spirit Program Game Day Live, where they placed fifth in the country. The cheer team also competed in the All-Girls Gameday category.

The game day live team made it to the finals and earned a fifth-place ranking in the country. The girls scored 71.7333, less than eight points from second place, with no deductions in the semifinals, and a 74.283 in finals. “It was so much fun and cool to see what each team brought to the stage, especially since there was so much more freedom in this new division to interpret each part differently,” said senior cheerleader Alina Bronco.

Cheer coach Christine Cotugno began her planning with a member from the drumline, Reed Nocera, in October. “In the beginning, it was hard learning the terms in all the different teams,” explained senior cheerleader Madison Sicinski. “Everyone was very determined, and we had lots of practice time.”

Sophomore Andrew Fazio engages with the crowd as he plays his drum.

In the past, dance and band members did not attend cheer’s trip to Walt Disney World Resort. This new addition allowed for new opportunities for many people. “It was a mix of excitement and nervous energy that all hit at once,” said dance team member Amanda McComiskey. “Knowing that all the hard work and late nights finally led to that moment was seriously so surreal.”

Incorporating dance and band reflected the school’s unity and school spirit. The routine included three sections: fight song, crowd leading, and timeout/tradition. “It was such a fun experience to be one of the first teams to ever compete in this division for my final year,” said Sicinski.

Freshman Hailee Cotugno smiles while posing with her pom in the air.

The team ran out to perform, yelling things such as “Let’s go,” and “Come on Knights!” to engage the audience. “We rally before our performance and during and it’s basically just a couple counts to show our school spirit!” explained McComiskey. “Rallying out and hyping up the crowd with the team is just the best feeling! It just motivates us and gets rid of all the scary nerves.”

The team performed to “The Buckeye Battle Cry” from the Ohio State Marching Band as their fight song. “My favorite part was doing our fight song,” said senior dance captain Gabriella Iacobelli. “It was so fun cheering loud for our school and who we are, but the best part is that we got to come together with cheer and band and all be in unison for that part.”

The crowd leading section, allowed teams to show off their traditional home sideline chants. During this performance, the team chanted, “fight, knights, fight,” and “purple, white.” While the cheerleaders and dancers performed, the band participated in a drumline groove. “The feeling of chanting and representing our school spirit in front of the huge audience filled me with excitement,” said McComiskey.

Senior cheerleader Hailey Lubinski holds up the “G” to spell “Knights.”

The final section, timeout/tradition, simulated what to expect during halftimes, extended time outs, or pep rallies. “Cheer was in stunts in the back and dance and band were showcasing their talent” said Sicinski. “It was super cool to see everyone doing their own thing.”

Nocera played a drum solo to the song “Wipeout” as everyone on stage performed. “‘Wipeout’ is a very iconic song for drummers,” said Nocera. “It was cool to add my own style to it.”

Nocera had background percussion knowledge, but other members learned how to play the drums for the first time just weeks before this trip. “[The lack of experience] scared me at first, but once I leaned into the chaos, it became a very fun bonding moment,” explained Nocera.

Senior dancer Isabella Ianniello yells as she completes her jumps.

“The spirit program is all about having fun, so my primary goal with them was to make sure they knew how to have fun and not be stressed over the performances,” added Nocera. “It turned out really well!” Old Bridge travelled with only five drummers, unlike the other teams in this category who brought entire percussion teams.

The cheerleaders also competed in the All Girl Gameday category. It gave them the opportunity to compete without the other groups, like they did in prior years. “My favorite part of the routine was definitely band dance in our all girl gameday! It was a lot of fun to perform, and I love the music for it,” explained Grace Cassiliano. “We used the ‘YMCA’ song and changed it to ‘OBHS.’ It’s super upbeat and fun. It is also easy for the crowd to engage in since the song is so well known!”

This fifth-place victory could not have occurred without the successful coordination between multiple spirit teams. ” Being included in cheer nationals and traveling to Florida with them for the first time felt unreal in the best way possible!” shared McComiskey.

Sophomore Ally Stuart thrusts her pom in the air, synchronizing with the girls surrounding her.
Reed Nocera smiles at the crowd as he plays the drums.
Junior Emma Jones poses and faces the crowd smiling.
Senior cheerleader Alina Branco holds up a purple circle to represent Old Bridge colors as she jumps and cheers.