Sports

Cheer squad off
to states

Colin Baumgartner

March 07, 2007 - The Lake Orion cheerleading squad
posted their best score of the season last week in regional action to help
them qualify for Friday's state finals.

The Dragons hosted the Region 5 competition last Saturday, placing
second behind Rochester.
The Falcons scored 757.4 points, followed by Lake
Orion's 733.6 and Stoney
Creek's 719.2.

The top two teams from each of the five Division
I regionals qualified for the MHSAA State Finals,
to be held at the DeltaPlex near Grand
Rapids.

"Everybody had solid, solid days," Coach Nancy DeAvila said
of the regional. "Everybody gave their best performances."

DeAvila said her team's experience at states last year should have
them well prepared.

"We're excited," she said. "They've been there now and
they know what to expect."

The team also took on a tougher schedule this year
and have seen all of the other state qualifiers at least once in
competition.

"Last year we finished ninth and this year we want to finish in
the top five," DeAvila said.

"I think that our chances are really good," she added.
"We've competed well against all of the top teams this year."

In spite of the stakes, the coach said her team will prepare as if it
were any other week.

"Our practices these last few weeks have been our best of the
season," DeAvila noted, "and we're completely healthy now."

At press time, DeAvila said Lake
Orion spectators have
already reserved 33 hotel rooms in preparation for Friday's competition,
which begins at 6 p.m.