SLIPPERY ROCK — Two youth cheerleaders from The Rockers All-Star Cheer and Dance team in Slippery Rock have qualified for a national competition.

Victoria DeMatteis and Shayla Nagy, both 10 and students at Dassa McKinley Elementary in the Moniteau School District, will compete at Nation’s Best Individual Nationals in Las Vegas Sunday.

The event is hosted by American Cheer Power.

The duo are coached by Jacqie Tedeski, in her fourth year of coaching cheering and dance teams.

“I have four cheer teams and three hip-hop teams and this is the first time we’ve had someone go to nationals,” Tedeski said.

DeMatteis and Nagy won a qualifying competition in Cleveland, Ohio, in January. They’ve participated in five other competitions this year and won them all.

“They are part of our Rockers team, but they wanted to try this on their own this year and they’ve worked hard at it,” Tedeski said.

Cheer duo competition consists of the two teammates doing a tumbling and cheering routine together that lasts 90 seconds. Tedeski said they may be up against 50 or 60 teams in Las Vegas.

“We won’t know until we get out there what we’re up against,” she said. “But these are two great kids. Their dedication and hard work have gotten them this far.

“They have natural ability, but they’re also in the gym five or six days a week working on their routines. They love the sport of cheerleading. They live and breathe it.”

Tedeski will be part of a 25-person “fan base” making the trip with them,

She said there are 55 kids in The Rockers program.