ADAMS TWP — When it comes to athleticism, the Mars High School cheerleaders are as good as anybody.

For the first time, they’re getting a chance to prove it — and they’re succeeding.

Mars has never put together a competitive cheering squad until this season. By finishing fifth in the WPIAL Class AAA Competitive Spirit Championships recently at Hempfield, the Planets have earned a berth in the PIAA Championships this Friday and Saturday.

That competition will be held at the Giant Center in Hershey.

“It’s always been my goal to have a competition squad here,” third-year Mars cheerleading coach Natalia Rippole said. “I had been talking to the board about it for a while.

“This was the year to do it. I knew the potential was in these girls from their time in other sports.”

Senior co-captains Katie Hoover and Niki Schlegel play softball at Mars. Brianna Bacco plays lacrosse, Blake Kitt softball and lacrosse.

Among the juniors on the squad, Olivia Alexander plays softball, Lindsey Brand runs track, Madison Caruso is a diver and Annalise Walp plays lacrosse.

“The girls who play team sports know what it takes to work together,” Hoover said. “That definitely helps.”

“What we don’t have is experience in cheerleading competition,” Rippole admitted.

Caruso and sophomores Emily Richardson and Sovia Simkovich participate in all-star cheerleading. None of the other 12 girls on the team entered this season with any competitive background in cheerleading.

Also on the squad are senior Gina DeLucia, juniors Holly DeCamp and Ashley Rinaman, sophomores Deandra Branchen and Courtney Williams.

“When our coach told us during summer camp that she got approval to start a competitive team, she asked us if we wanted to do it,” Schlegel said. “Everybody voted yes, but had no idea what to expect.

“She (Rippole) guided us through everything. She’s responsible for our success.”

Rippole is a Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) instructor and has judged competitions. She was a cheerleader at Montour High School and Clarion University.

“What was good about all of these girls doing this for the first time was there were no bad habits to break,” Rippole said. “It was all teach, learn and repetition.”

Rippole entered the team in a competition at Bethel Park earlier this season “just to get them on the mat for the first time.” Mars wound up qualifying for UCA Nationals in Orlando, Fla., by winning its regional competition at Slippery Rock University.

The squad will not be making that trip, however.

“We don’t have any funding this year,” Mars Cheerleading Booster President Katie Caruso said. “The girls have to fund everything themselves. We’re funding our own trip to Hershey.”

From summer camp through football and basketball season, Mars’ cheerleaders have been practicing their two-minute, 30-second routine.

“Last year was a lot more laid back. Now that we have a competition team, it’s much more intense,” Hoover said. “We exert a lot of energy in our routine and it takes a lot out of you.

“A foot slips, people will fall. We’ve avoided any major injuries, but there is a lot of general soreness.”

Schlegel agreed.

“Every day in practice, a few times each day ... It’s really been different this year,” Schlegel said. “It becomes pretty intense and your muscles get sore. I mean, girls fall on you ... stuff happens.

“I don’t consider (the competitions) pressure, but they are kind of intimidating. You practice the routine so hard for so long. You don’t want to mess up.”

Actually, it was Rippole who nearly “messed up.”

Mars was deducted five points at the WPIAL meet for using an illegal move.

“That was on me. I put it in the routine and didn’t catch the fact it was against the rules,” Rippole said. “The girls did so well. I was hoping that deduction didn’t take us out of the top five.”

The top five teams in WPIAL Class A, AA and AAA advanced to the PIAA competition.

“We wound up fifth and probably would have been third or fourth without that deduction,” Rippole said. “These girls worked so hard and turned it on when they were in front of a large audience for the first time.

“They’ve more than exceeded expectations in their first year. I’m proud of them.”