The Varsity Cheer Team (LZVC) took second in their division of the North Suburban Conference (NSC), hosted at LZHS on Sunday, January 25. Out of 14 teams, Stevenson High School was the overall conference champion with the highest score from both divisions.

Divided into a Prairie and a Lakes division, LZVC competes in Lakes and placed second in their division, behind Stevenson and ahead of Zion-Benton High School. Each team performs once and is scored in multiple areas such as tumbling, jumps and synchronizations. Megan Yerger, junior and LZVC member, said the team is planning on improving their routine for sectionals this upcoming Saturday, January 31.

“[At NSC] we did not hit our routine. Our goal for sectionals is to just to hit [the routine.] I think we want that more than anything because it hasn’t happened yet,” Yerger said.

Despite not “hitting” their routine, Yerger acknowledges and said how the Antioch High School cheer team, who took first in the Prairie division, has made improvements from previous years and she was intrigued from their performance.

“[While] watching Antioch win, they were just so excited and it made me so excited for them,” Yerger said. “They are really good this year and have improved a lot from past years so I’m really happy for them. They deserved it.”

Due to Yerger’s respectful nature during the competition, her coaches nominated her to receive the Sportsmanship award for LZVC.

“I am so honored that [my coach] picked me. I think I got it because even though I want to do well, I want everyone else to strive too. It makes me really happy to see a team win who deserves it. Especially when it means so much to them,” Yerger said.

Yerger sees not just the way she exhibits sportsmanship during competition, but also how the team does like the way the team always says good luck to other teams, including components. She gives credit for the team’s sportsmanship to the coaches.

“They always make sure we are really respectful and polite to everyone because it is important. I also think we admit when another team should win over us, accept it, and congratulate them,” Yerger said. “We also stand up for every first place team that is called at all competitions.”

LZVC will compete at sectionals this Saturday, January 31 at Rolling Meadows High School. Competition times are still being determined.