Three competitions down, one to go: Varsity/JV Cheer ìSweepî at Arizona State!

By Pete Mohr | March 10, 2010

Stunt Champs! (l-r) Shae Lowry (FR), Breana Baker (SO), Kacey Lowry (SR), Brittany Nagy (JR), Tayler McClellen (SO) “doubled” as 1st place winners at the Feb. 27-28 Universal Cheerleading Association Championships (Universal Studios, Calif.) and March 6 Arizona State Cheerleading Tournament (Phoenix). Way-to-go, Gals!  Courtesy Photo

CSHS – Head Coach Rika Cuff’s Competition Cheer Squad has been working hard since last April! Champions for the fifth year in a row at late January’s Arizona Interscholastic Association’s “Spirit Line” competition, Prescott Valley, Ariz.; Stunt Team, champions, team, 3rd (after suffering two warm-up injuries) at Feb. 27-28 Universal Cheerleading Association Championships, Universal Studios, Calif.; and champions (Varsity, JV and Stunt Teams), March 6, Arizona State Cheerleading Tournament, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix.

Three competitions down, one to go! United Spirit Association High School National Championships, March 25-27, Anaheim, Calif. Congratulations to Coach Cuff, her assistant coaches, Cindy Knuteson and Allie Brenner and the Lady Falcons on their spectacularly successful competition season. Good luck in Anaheim!

Clean sweeper! CSHS Varsity Cheer, JV Cheer and their respective 5-member Stunt Teams swept to championship finishes at the Arizona State Cheerleading Tournament, Saturday, March 6, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Congratulations, Ladies!  Courtesy Photo

USA Junior National Team Champions and stunt group 1st and 2nd place AZ State Team Champions and Stunt group 1st and 3rd place

Front row (l-r):Shelby Brown(captain), Andrea Martinez, Jackie Church, Madi Brown, Bailey Baird,  Alexia Nelson, Lexii Harris 2nd row (l-r): Emily Sirota, Jaci Brickhouse, Sarah Chiodo, Alex Fields, Kameren Wilburn, Becca Swedler 3rd Row (l-r): Sierra Gruber, Bailey Moya, Tatum Campbell, Maddie Halaburda, Carlye Robertson, Taylor Milbranth, Alyson Gruber(Captain), Hannah Bailo, Coach Michelle Wetzel, Coach Emily Johnson, Coach Hillary Calik. Back Row (l-r): Dani Bennett(Captain), Courtney Harper, Brooke Cuff(Captain), Sam Costenbader.  Courtesy Photo

DAMS Cheer takes both Arizona State and USA Jr. National Championships

By Scott Brown | March 10, 2010

DISNEY’S ADVENTURE PARK, Calif. – In what was a great week for Desert Arroyo Middle School Cheer Squad, they competed in and won both a USA Jr. National Championship and the 2010 Arizona State Championship!

On Sunday, Feb. 28, the Rattlers Cheer Squad competed at the United Spirit Association (USA) JR Nationals at Disney's California Adventure Park, Hyperion Theater.

Desert Arroyo qualified for this competition in November at a local qualifier event.
Desert Arroyo competed in the both the full squad "Junior Show Cheer Advanced" Division, as well as having two, all-girl stunt groups to compete (five girls in each stunt group).

Desert Arroyo took home the National Championship in the Junior Show Cheer Advanced Division, as well as having their Stunt Groups finish first and second! Desert Arroyo Group B was first; Group A was second. A total sweep for the Rattlers at Nationals!

After a day at Disney, and a long bus ride back to Arizona, the Squad had only two days to practice for the Arizona State Cheerleading / Pom Tournament held on Friday, March 5, at the Veteran's Coliseum at the Arizona State Fairgrounds.
Desert Arroyo competed in the Junior High Show Cheer - Large Division along with their two Stunt Groups in the Junior High All Girl Stunt Division.

With nine schools in their division, the Desert Arroyo Rattlers placed first, winning the Arizona State Championship for Junior High Show Cheer, and their Stunt Groups finished first and third! Desert Arroyo A was first; Desert Arroyo B was third.
Sonoran Trails also competed at the State Championships and finished with a third place in the Junior High Show Cheer - Large Division.

Rattler Cheer Squad Quad-Captains are all 8th grade students and all have been on the DAMS Cheer Squad for three years – Dani Bennett, Alyson Gruber, Brooke Cuff and Shelby Brown all will "retire" with these accomplishments:
2008 USA National Champion, 2009 USA National Runner-Up, 2010 USA National Champion Cheer Squad, 2008 Arizona State Runner-Up, 2009 Arizona State Runner-Up, 2010 Arizona State Junior High Champions!

Many other first and second place finishes in local one day cheer competitions were also earned.

(For more about the DAMS Cheer Squad please see Shelby Brown’s Letter to the Editor.)

(Photo on left)

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