On December 13, the Frederick cheer team placed 9th overall at the state competition at the Denver coliseum. Although it wasn’t the outcome they were hoping for, the cheer team had an amazing performance on the mat. They hit a zero deduction routine (hitting zero is a super good thing in cheer) which is definitely the best routine that they have done.
State is a huge accomplishment for the cheer team, it’s an amazing feeling for the cheer team to find out that they made it to finals. The Frederick cheer coach is super proud of the cheer team and what they have accomplished, especially with it being her first year coaching here at Frederick. “Where we ended in terms of placement was not what we wanted unfortunately. The team left everything on the floor and performed a hitting routine, and as a coach all I can ask is that the athletes give it everything they have in the 2 minutes and 30 second routine. That is exactly what they did. I am so proud . As a program we have made huge strides culturally and competitively. I couldn’t be more proud of that they accomplished, we can’t wait for next year to learn and come back even stronger. I am so proud of you guys”. The varsity cheer coach Emily Pittenbarger said about her team’s performance.
The Frederick cheer team performed their state routine to the best of their abilities, yet the outcome of the routine wasn’t what they were expecting. It is still a good feeling for them to know that they looked amazing and that everybody is proud of them.
Just because the Frederick cheer team didn’t get to where they were hoping, that doesn’t mean they are done. The Frederick cheer team has some good plans and ideas for next year. They are coming back looking better and stronger than ever. There is no doubt that this cheer team will succeed tremendously in the future. They are strong and will fight as hard as they need to prove to people who they are and what they are made of.
The seniors of the Frederick cheer team have had an amazing season, especially senior Hailey Mazzota. She has grown a lot in cheer and has accomplished many things throughout cheer. She said, “As a senior who has been on varsity cheer for four years, I have experienced the growth of the Frederick cheer team firsthand. 5A Co-Ed is a hard division to be in.”
With this being the Frederick cheer team’s first year being a 5A Co-Ed team, the freshmen who have made it on this team have really had to show up and show out. They have had to work as hard as they possibly could like any other cheer athlete to show who they are and what they are made of, and that is exactly what Raleigh Antonio did.
“Before this year, I never realized how big of a deal State was,” she said. “I went into high school cheer thinking, ‘Oh it’s an instate competition that isn’t even that big of a deal,’ and coming from All-Star, where I have competed at many national competitions such as NCA, Jamfest, and Summit, it really did seem like just an in-state competition.
“When State actually came and we were there, ready to compete, I realized the intensity and realized we really were competitive. I have always had a competitive spirit and wanted to be the best, so of course I really wanted to do well, but I never realized how much it would matter to me whether or not we made it to finals.”
As the completion season for the cheerleaders comes to an end, they are focused on cheering for Frederick until it is time to get their team stronger and better. While the team hoped to go further in the finals, the experienced team members felt this was their best showing in years.
“This team showed up willing to put our best foot forward no matter the outcome but to show our progress. I couldn’t be more thankful for how dedicated this team is,” Haily Mazzota said.
While the upperclassmen were happy for how far the team has come, the underclassmen are energized for next season. Raleigh summed the feeling up well: “We were in a tough division, and the outcome may not have been what we had wanted or even expected, but throughout this year I have realized how intense and important state is, and I’m proud of my team for working hard all season to put on an amazing performance, and I can’t wait until next season!”
