The Lower Lake High School competitive cheer squad left the competition in its rear view mirror on Dec. 2 while winning the JAMZ Slam City event at the Cow Palace in Daly City. The Trojans, 2016 JAMZ National Champions, will compete later this season for a state title and early next year for another national championship. Competitive cheer is now recognized by the California Interscholastic Federation as an official high school sport. Its athletes train many days a week to perfect their routines, which include stunts, jumps and tumbling. They compete against teams from other schools and are scored by qualified judges in regional, state and national competitions. Posed around the championship banner they won at the Slam City event are team members Haylee Wade, a holdover from the Trojans’ 2016 JAMZ National Championship team, Rudy Rincon, Adrianna Illia, Amber Jones, Summer Baxter, Carley Pesonen, Rose Miller, Destynee Mittelstedt, Hannah Pankratz, Brooke Landgraf, Dallas Kuckowicz and Alejandra Horan. – Brian Sumpter — Lake County Publishing
