Midland Dow takes charge at Houghton Lake

January 11, 2007

In Houghton
Lake’s second
competitive cheer meet of the 2006-07 season Jan. 4,
the Bobcats were overtaken by the Class A Midland Dow Chargers following a
4-point lead at the end of Round 2. The six-team meet was held at Houghton Lake Middle School.

The varsity ’Cats led Round 1 with a score of 193.5 over
Dow’s 183 points. The Chargers answered in Round 2 by performing back
flips, splits, cartwheels and back walk-overs to
earn 190 points over Houghton
Lake’s 183.5,
narrowing the 10.5 lead to 4.

By the end of Round 2, Roscommon’s small varsity team was in last place
with 320 points, just six points behind Brethren.

Between the second and third rounds, the crowd was treated to a cheer and
dance performance by the Young Champions cheerleaders of Houghton Lake.

Round 3 secured Dow’s win with tumbling action typically seen at the
end of cheer season. In addition to three stunting groups, the Chargers
performed back flips, standing back tucks and aerials on the mat.

Houghton Lake responded with three stunting
groups and tumbling of its own. The Bobcat flyers twisted cleanly out of some
extensions, but not every extension was held. Round 3 left the ’Cats
with 270 points to Dow’s 312.5.

“I was very proud of Round 1–Round 2 was very good but we still
have a few things to fix,” Coach Celeste Kubiak
said. “Round 3 was new, it wasn’t a polished Round 3.”

Kubiak said the scoring was very fair and that Midland’s Round 3
was very clean and “their tumbling was phenomenal.” She said her
girls want to be one of the top two finishers at their regional competition.

“These girls want to go to state,” she said.

The Roscommon Bucks outperformed Brethren in Round 3, 232.5-224.5, to end the
meet in fifth place with a total of 552.5. Harrison
garnered 251.5 points in Round 3 with three stunting groups whose flyers
twisted out from their extensions into basket tosses.

Final scores for varsity teams were Midland Dow, 685.5; Houghton
Lake, 647; Harrison, 595.7; Meridian, 583.8;
Roscommon, 552.5; and Brethren, 550.5.

Four junior varsity teams competed as well. The JV ’Cats placed second
with a score of 512.3. Midland Dow’s JV took the top spot with 538.5
points. Harrison placed third with 508.6 and
Meridian JV, which did not perform in Round 3, earned 234.2.

The Bobcats and the Bucks compete next at Meridian
Jan. 11.