Hartland cheer team headed to state
finals

Friday,
March 09, 2007

News
Staff Reporter

This could be Paula
Cunningham's last week coaching the Hartland competitive cheer team.

Or maybe not.

Cunningham's Eagles won
their fifth consecutive regional championship at Brighton High School March 3
to qualify for the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division I state
finals 6 p.m. Friday at the Delta Plex in Grand
Rapids. The Bulldogs, who were regional runners-up, will compete at states
for the third straight year.

The Eagles want to perform
well for Cunningham, who is trying to sell her home and planning to move
closer to family in Kentucky.
Cunningham said she won't move if her house doesn't sell, and she couldn't
envision not coaching next year if she's in town.

The Eagles have 16 seniors
aiming to finish their careers, and possibly Cunningham's, with a roar.
Hartland was fifth, and Brighton
seventh, at states last spring.

"I always compare
this team to the one that got third in the state (in 2005),'' said senior
leader Katie Nester, a four-year varsity letter-winner.
"This, by far, is the best team I've been on. Not only the
talent, but we have huge drive. When we go on the mat, we all give our all.
When you see us cheer, you can see that we want it.''

Each competition consists
of three rounds. The first two last 90 seconds and include a predetermined
number of jumps and stunts. The final round lasts 21/2 minutes and combines
the first two rounds with a choreographed routine blending creativity with
technical expertise.

Nester said the Eagles
began holding 3-hour practices last June to prepare. "The working hard
and conditioning has helped us get as strong as we are,'' she said.

Hartland scored a 715.5 at
regionals, but wants more. "My ultimate goal
is to perform all three rounds up to their ability without their mistakes,''
Cunningham said. "We have yet to do that. I'm
hoping (Friday) is the day we peak.''

The Bulldogs have overcome
adversity to get this far, according to coach Kim Klaus. The Bulldogs scored
a 669.3 at regionals. "They have gone through
a lot this season. They keep bouncing back,'' Klaus said. "Getting
everybody ready and on the same page took a little more work (than usual).''

Eleven juniors, many new
to varsity, and four sophomores and two freshmen comprise a young team. Three
seniors, Ashley Dutcher, Ashley Dapra,
and Haley Sugar, have been on varsity for three years. "They've really
helped trying to guide this team in the right direction,'' Klaus said.