Houghton Lake takes second in Rosco cheer invitational

January 25, 2007

Trailing the Gaylord Blue Devils at the end of Round 2 by 7.5
points, the Houghton Lake Bobcats could not pull ahead in Round 3 to take the
lead in competitive cheer action. The invitational, held at Roscommon High School,
featured eight varsity teams, three JV teams and two middle school squads.

“I thought we did good,”
Bobcat Coach Celeste Kubiak said. “I was glad
we hit the end stunt.”

The last stunt in Round 3 calls for all three ’Cat flyers to do
one-legged extensions and kick to the side. The night, however, was not
without some difficulties.

“We’re having personnel issues,” Kubiak
said.

Although she did not cheer in Round 3, a JV flyer, Victoria Smith, was
brought up to train with the varsity squad because fellow sophomore Danielle
Ritchie is moving out of state. Another sophomore, Molly Bigford,
performed in Round 1 with a broken hand, but could not cheer in other rounds.
Adding to the challenge, Kubiak said, is a rule
limiting the differential between rounds to two cheerleaders. If Round 1 has
10 people, for example, the other rounds can have no more than 12 and no
fewer than eight.

The final score for Houghton
Lake was 633.4.
Gaylord, a Class A (Division II) squad, placed first with 661.4 points, after
cleanly performing a variety of stunts, one of which called for the middle
flyer to hold one foot of the outer two flyers.

The Roscommon Bucks, some of whom have not cheered before, are making
progress.

“They’re putting their hearts into it,” Bucks Coach Vickie
Alexander said. “I’m proud of them. We’ll get there.”

The Bucks ended the evening with 459.8 points.

Of the eight varsity teams, Inland
Lakes was the only one
with no Round 3 routine. Harrison had 352.2
points at the end of Round 2, and ended the meet in third place after bases
in one stunt group let their flyer fall to the mat face first.

Final scores were Gaylord, 661.4; Houghton
Lake, 633.4; Harrison, 583.2;
Brethren, 552.5; Farwell, 488; Bellaire, 483.2; Roscommon, 459.8; and Inland Lakes, 216.5.

Harrison JV bested Gaylord JV, 486.5-476.5. Houghton Lake
JV placed third with 468.3
points.

Competing in only Rounds 2 and 3, Grayling
Middle School bested Farwell Middle School, 287.8-280.6.

The Bucks also cheered at Farwell Saturday and placed fifth.

The Bobcats were scheduled for Chippewa Hills Jan. 24 and cheer again at home
Feb. 1.