The varsity cheerleaders successfully crossed off the final stop on the road to State when their name was announced as Sectional champion on Saturday. 

“We have really been pushing our skills and conditioning this week in preparation for the State competition, but we are also trying to find our passion as a team,” Nicole Furio, senior, said. “When we work together and can find that passion within us, the routine really comes together. If we can find that, I believe we have a good shot of making finals.”

While the team continues to tweak and tie up loose ends of the routine, Ali Szady, junior, already believes they are in a better position than last year.

“We are definitely a lot more confident as a team going in this year than last season, so I think that will help us do even better,” Szady said. “We are hitting are our skills more often as well, and while all of the teams are fair game, I believe we are able to place in the top five.”

After a tenth place finish in last year’s finals, Furio and the other seniors believe this year’s team not only has the skill to place higher, but an amazing team dynamic as well that can help them reach the podium.

“Our team is striving for perfection and while we know that not everything can be perfect, we have kept pushing and pushing to get it to the best it can be,” Taylor Kuhn, senior, said. “I know a lot of people don’t see cheer as a sport, but I know the girls around me are athletes and there is no doubt about it. They worked so hard every single day, always kept a positive mindset, and always pushed through injuries to get us here, and this year I feel like we really have what we need and what it takes to be one of the top teams.”

Despite the season ending on Saturday, Furio says the team chemistry and friendships will last long after the music stops on their last routine.

“This team is really just a big family. We are so comfortable around each other and have so much fun in and out of cheer practices and competitions,” Furio said. “I’m really going to miss the countless hours we are all together, but I’m looking forward to bringing home some hardware after our last performance this weekend.

The team performs in the preliminary round Friday at 5:55 pm, and then again in the finals on Saturday if they score within the top ten teams. To watch the performance live, visit the IHSA website.