A cheer-ful debut
CHERRY TWP — Moniteau High School never had a competitive cheer team before this season.
But it's had — and has — competitors.
Many of them comprise the roster of 14 girls that finds itself heading to Hershey Jan. 19-20 for the PIAA Competitive Spirit Championships as a first-year program.
“I'm happy, it's very exciting, but I can't say I'm surprised by the success we're having,” Moniteau coach Jacqie Tedeski said. “But I am surprised we're going to the state meet.
“My goal this year was to have the team finish among the top five or six at the District 9 meet.”
Instead the Warriors tallied a score of 72.7 to place third out of nine teams in the small varsity division. A-C Valley finished first with a score of 77.2, followed by Elk County Catholic.
Both of those schools have had competitive cheer programs. The top three overall scores out of District 9 advance to the PIAA meet. The small varsity division had the three top scores.
“Our goal was to get there,” junior Amanda Dailey said of the state competition. “I always felt like we could do it.
“We've done competitive basketball cheer in the past, competitive football cheer, and have done well. A lot of us do play other sports and we know what it takes to compete. That definitely helped.”
Seven of the cheerleaders — Dailey, Madisyn Clark, Madison Cumberland, Lexi Miller, Kendal Campbell, Amelia Thompson and Cassidy Claypoole — play softball for the Warriors. Clark and Emily Lewis play volleyball. Abby Davis runs track.
Brianna Powell is the lone senior on the team. Makayla Thiry, Grace Hazlet, Haley Campbell and Emma Barkley round out the roster.
“I've been playing softball for two years, volleyball for four,” Clark said. “I've been a cheerleader for 10 years of my life. That's my No. 1 sport.
“We have a number of girls on this team who been cheerleaders for a lot of years.”
Cumberland, a junior, and sophomore Miller are first-year cheerleaders on the squad.
“They knew they'd have to come in here and work hard and they have,” Dailey said of the two newcomers to the sport. “And they are phenomenal cheerleaders.”
Moniteau placed first in its four competitions prior to the District 9 meet. The middle school program, also featuring 14 girls, has won three of its four competitions while placing second in the other.
“We also have a youth program with 14 more girls,” Tedeski said. “This program is already in place and a number of other girls in the school are expressing interest in trying out next year.”
The goal for the rest of this year is to get to the second day of competition in Hershey — the semifinals.
“That's what we want to do,” Clark said. “We want to represent Moniteau well, show people what we're about.”
Tedeski runs a tumbling gym in Slippery Rock and “most of these girls have tumbled there at one time or another.”
She formerly ran an all-star cheering program, but is giving that up to fulfill her dream.
“My dream has always been to coach high school cheering and I believe these girls can go a long way,” Tedeski said. “I want to devote my time toward that.”
Next year's goal? Win the District 9 championship.
“We actually wanted to do that this year and we just missed,” Dailey said. “Next year, with most of the girls coming back and more good ones coming up, we're going to take our shot.”
