Sports

Cheer team
second at league jamboree

Squad
captures Oxford
title over the weekend

Colin Baumgartner

The team gets set
for its round two routine at the jamboree last week. Photo by Colin
Baumgartner.

January 17, 2007 - Lake Orion
held the first-ever OAA I Cheerleading Jamboree on Jan. 10, with the Dragons
placing second behind two-time defending state champion Rochester.

"I was pleased with everyone's performance," said Dragon
Coach Nancy DeAvila. "This is the first time we've done the weeknight
performances on this side of the state."

The OAA changed formats this year, moving from one winner-take-all
event to three events. The two jamboree meets will make up 50 percent of the
team's final score, with the Feb. 3 event accounting for the other half.

"This way, everybody gets three opportunities to bring their best
to the mat," DeAvila said, noting this philosophy was adopted on the
west side of the state years ago.

She said there is a little more
margin for error, as teams missing a player due to injury or sickness (as LO
was for this event), could get that athlete back in the lineup the next time.

"I think it's good to get the kids out on the mat as much as
possible," DeAvila added.

The Dragons scored 675.5 points, nearly 12 better than third place
Stoney Creek and more than 20 behind Rochester
(704.1). Lake Orion,
however, did defeat Rochester
in the third round (the stunt portion of the competition) 290-289.

Rochester
has won more state titles than any other Division I team in competitive
cheerleading.

"Anytime Rochester
is in the field and you beat them in a round is fantastic.

"On Dec. 16, at the CCCAM Scholarship Invitational held at Stoney Creek, the Dragons did one better, topping the
state's preeminent team to take the title.

Their score of 702.8 on that day was the first time since 2003, that
the team reached the 700-point plateau.

"Our team was the only team out of 27 that stayed in the
air," DeAvila said of the stunt round, which catapulted Lake Orion
over Rochester,
which held a 23-point lead going into the final round.

"They earned the win," the coach added.

DeAvila attributed their success in the season-opening competition to
their off-season training.

"It's a hard working, dedicated group of kids," she said.

The team is made up of 36 members, including 14 seniors. DeAvila noted
that many newcomers to the squad have already spent multiple years at the
junior varsity level, so there is quite a bit of experience throughout the
lineup.

"One of our biggest goals was to improve on our stunting,"
she said, adding that the team has raised their difficulty level in the
crucial third round to compete with the top teams.

"Our flyers are youthful," she said of the three sophomores
and one junior that take on the important role. "But they've all got
experience."

The team kept busy in various training camps throughout the summer and
fall to prepare for this season.

"We've made it a priority for our team," DeAvila said of the
training regiment.

The team will compete in the second OAA I Jamboree at Stoney Creek on Jan. 24 and host their own invitational
on Jan. 27, with some 50 teams scheduled to perform.

The team will also host regionals in early
March, though their region has changed a bit, due to the addition of several
Division I teams in Oakland and Macomb counties.

"We're coming off of a ninth-place finish at the state and we
host regionals this year," DeAvila said.
"I don't care if 20 teams are added, our goal
is to improve on that finish at states last year."

***

The Dragons topped eight other varsity cheer teams this past weekend
to claim the Oxford Invitational championship.

"It was a really solid performance for every round," DeAvila
said, noting the team met their goal of winning all three rounds of the competition
outright.

In addition to the varsity performance, both the junior varisty and freshman teams placed first and all three Lake Orion
middle schools finished in the top five in their respective competitions.

"They all did great," DeAvila said.

The varsity squad will travel to Brighton
this weekend for an invitational that includes state powers like Southgate
Anderson and Hartland.