TRACY — It was a day of firsts for Middletown High School’s competitive cheer squad on Saturday during the United Spirit Association (USA) Regional competition at Merrill West High School in Tracy.
In the first year of the team’s existence and competing in its first event, the Mustangs brought home the school’s first award, a second-place finish in the Varsity Show Cheer/Novice division for groups of 17-36 participants.
Westmont High School of Campbell won the division but Middletown earned runner-up honors with its 24-cheerleader-strong squad.
“They had already won twice and finished second in another competition,” Middletown cheer adviser Danita Collins Shook said of the Westmont squad. “It was our very first time in competition.”
Collins Shook said the team’s 2 1/2-minute routine featured, among other things, stunts, jumps tumbling, dance, cheer and pyramids.
The team has now qualified for the USA Nationals on Feb. 22-24 in Anaheim.
Prior to the Tracy competition, the Middletown squad, which consists of varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders – 13 varsity and 11 JV – received the Most Spirited Team award during the Spirit Spectacular Camp in late July at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park.
“It was voted on by other coaches and kids at the camp,” Collins Shook said. “There were nine teams there.”
Middletown team members are varsity cheerleaders Makaili Brown, Cora DaCosta, Kenna Harbison, Annabelle Lacey, Shay Liebig, Shawnna McCool, Sam Nord, Rayne Reece, Jlay Untarasari, Alle Vierra, Lili Diaz, Andrea Garcia, Citali Garcia, and JV cheerleaders Autumn Fischer, Sophia Guzman, Bryanna Lopez, Baylee McKinney, Cynthia Saelor, Jazmyn Avina, Lia Crudo, Anna Popovich, Shaianne Sims, Vanessa Lacey and Bree Eisenberger.
