Lansing State Journal

Published January 3, 2008

[ From Lansing
State Journal ]

Prep Preview: Competitive
Cheer

Geoff Kimmerly

(Photo by
Matthew Mitchell/For the Lansing
State Journal)

Top of the pyramid: DeWitt junior Allyson Chase was a
second-team selection in Division 2, one of eight Panthers cheerleaders
to earn all-state recognition.

Lansing State Journal

CAAC Blue/Red

Coaches' predictions

1. Mason

2. St. Johns

3. Grand Ledge

4. Owosso

5. Waverly

6. East Lansing

East Lansing

• Last season:
Seventh in CAAC-1

• Coach: Hayley
Tate, second season

• Team
composition: 12 total (nine seniors, three juniors)

• Returning
starters: Karah Robertson (sr.), Kayla Rodgers
(sr.), Kat Moraniec (sr.), Laura Gagliardi (sr., Laine Rzeppa (sr.), Sara Kulang
(sr.), Ashligh Covert (sr.).

• Outlook: The
Trojans are already greatly improved from a year ago, with a focus on
gymnastics. They are starting second rounds with team walkovers but hope to
use team springs by the end of the season.

Grand Ledge

• Last season:
Third in CAAC-1

• Coach: Brooke
Sutherland, second season

• Team
composition: 20 total (class breakdown N/A).

• Returning
starters: Nicole Ward (sr.), Renee Washburn (jr.),
Corey Benson (soph.), Ali Westen (soph.), Austin
Kelly (soph.).

• Outlook: The
Comets are young but the hardest-working team Sutherland has coached.
Chemistry is a strength and newcomers have learned
quickly.

Mason

• Last season:
First in CAAC-1

• Coach: Kathy
Showers, 19th season

• Team
composition: N/A

• Returning
starters: Leslie Barker (jr.), Becca Bradfield (sr.), Sydney Hoag (jr.),
Torii Lyon (sr.), Rachel Smith (sr.).

• Outlook: The
Bulldogs are seeking their fourth straight league title and return a number
of key veterans.

St. Johns

• Last season:
Second in CAAC-1

• Coach: Jen
Brewer, eighth season

• Team
composition: 20 total (one senior, 10 juniors, seven sophomores, two
freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Brandy Chvojka (sr.), Jessica Lewis (jr.), Mitzi Nelson (jr.),
Rosie Gould (jr.), Marites
Woodbury (jr.), Ashleigh Boettger
(jr.), Tessa Marlatt (jr.), Meghan West (soph),
Kayla Rigdon (soph),
Danielle McCune (soph.), Kaci Wiers
(soph), Kay Moody (soph).

• Outlook: After
a few seasons of building, the Redwings' skills are much stronger,
especially in tumbling and stunting. Chvojka is a
four-year veteran and leads a team that, while young, includes a large
group of returning all-leaguers.

Waverly

• Last season:
Fifth in CAAC-1

• Coach: Patti
Glenn, second season

• Team
composition: 12 total (three seniors, four juniors, one sophomore, four freshmen).

• Returning
starters: Erica Nappler (sr.), Lakeysha Crusoe (sr.), Ashley Banks (jr.), Javore Carnegie (jr.).

• Outlook: The
Warriors are in their second season as a program and should be much
improved. Nappler is a returning all-leaguer and
helps lead a young but talented team.

CAAC Gold/White

Coaches' predictions

1. DeWitt

2. Lakewood

3. Fowlerville

4. Haslett

5. Lans.
Catholic

6. Charlotte

7. Eaton Rapids

8. Portland

Charlotte

• Last season:
Sixth in CAAC-2

• Coach: Yvonne Ridge, fifth season

• Team
composition: 25 total (three seniors, six juniors, seven sophomors, nine freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Megan Schultz (soph.), Emily Hall (soph.), Tess Goering (jr.), Lauren Firestone (soph.), Nike Bayly (jr.), Taryn Saloma
(jr.).

• Outlook: The
Orioles are a strong stunting team, led by a group of five talented
gymnasts. Juniors Jenae Ridge and Heather
Holliday and freshman Hailee Ridge are volleyball
players during the fall who are now able to cheer during the winter thanks
to the move of the former season out of winter for this school year.
They'll provide a big boost, with Hailee Ridge
the only freshman competing in all three rounds.

DeWitt

• Last season:
First in CAAC-2

• Coach: Deb Rambow, 20th season

• Team
composition: 24 total (12 seniors, 11 juniors, one sophomore).

• Returning
starters: Kristina DeSira (sr.), Kim Sears (sr.),
Andrea Coon (jr.), Andrea Martin (jr.), Allyson Chase (jr.), Calley Rivard (jr.), Cassie Russell (sr.), Samantha Ruiz (sr.), Hayley
Chestnut (sr.), Stephanie Wickham (jr.), Jourden Ashi (sr.), Ellie Hundt (sr.), Kimberly Tate (sr.), Ashley Wilson (sr.).

• Outlook: The
Panthers return four all-state first-teamers in DeSira,
Sears, Coon and Martin after finishing second at the Division 2 state meet
last season. The team is strong in stunting, jumps and precision but must
improve its Round 2 skills. Chase and Rivard were
all-state second-teamers last year, while Russell and Ruiz earned honorable
mentions.

Eaton Rapids

• Last season:
Fourth in CAAC-1

• Coach: Kelley Youmans, second season

• Team
composition: 17 total (six seniors, one junior, four sophomores, six
freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Alyshia Schade
(sr.), Erica Torres (sr.), Amber Morgan (sr.), Alicia Langford (sr.), Jen
Wing (sr.).

• Outlook: The
Greyhounds have nearly doubled in number from 10 last season,
and six seniors provide experience missing a year ago. Three-year varsity
member Wing, Kelsey Marczynski and Jenay Smith are talented tumblers and provide much of
the difficulty to the team's Round 3.

Fowlerville

• Last season:
Third in CAAC-2

• Coach: Cindy
Champagne, seventh season

• Team
composition: 12 total (two seniors, five juniors, two sophomores, three
freshmen)

• Returning starters:
Amanda McCoy (sr.), Emmalee Santioni
(sr.), Kaleigh Reed (jr.),
Brittany Bolling (jr.),
Kayla Shoemaker (jr.).

• Outlook: McCoy,
Santioni, Reed and Bolling
are all in their third seasons on varsity, providing experience on one of
the league's smallest but most highly regarded teams.

Haslett

• Last season:
Tied for fourth in CAAC-2

• Coach: Diane
Littleton, third season

• Team
composition: 19 total (four seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores, three
freshmen).

• Returning
starters: Katie Silkworth (sr.), Ashley Smith
(sr.), Ada Mbonu (sr.),
Kaci Jones (jr.),
Callie Eldredge (sr.), Jade Harman (jr.), Whitney Howd (jr.), Sam Solomon (soph.).

• Outlook: The
Vikings are in their second season as a competitive cheer program after a
solid debut, which included a seventh-place finish at their regional. Silkworth is a four-year varsity member and, along with
Jones, has been a three-round starter since their respective sophomores years. The three freshmen also compete in all
three rounds and bring much talent and enthusiasm.

Lakewood

• Last season:
Second in CAAC-2

• Coach: Kim
Martin, 13th season

• Team
composition: 12 total (three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, one
freshman).

• Returning
starters: Courtney Ellison (sr.), Lauren Erb
(sr.), Charlese Smith (jr.),
Cheryl Spitzley (jr.),
Whitney Holaski (soph).

• Outlook:
Stunting, jumps and voice are strengths for the Vikings, who must improve
their gymnastics. Holaski was an all-leaguer and
all-Barry County pick last season as a freshman, while Erb
and Smith earned all-league honorable mentions.

Lansing Catholic

• Last season:
Tied for fourth in the CAAC-2

• Coach: Jodi
Boehringer, 13th season

• Team
composition: 20 total (eight seniors, four juniors, eight sophomores)

• Returning
starters: Tessa Albright (sr.), Andrea Bartlett (sr.), Samantha Bartlett
(sr.), Ashley Haddad (sr.), Alex Boland (sr.), Gina Murdoch (sr.), Autumn
Langford (sr.), Jordan Garvie (jr.), CJ Courter (jr.), Hallie St. Marie (soph),
Jessica Hospodar (soph).

• Outlook: The
Cougars are led by a strong group of seniors who took fifth at their
regional last season. The team concentrated on gymnastics during the
offseason and should boost its Round 2 score to go along with solid first
and third rounds.

Portland

• Last season:
Independent

• Co-coaches:
Linda Fox and Darlene Rodriguez, second seasons

• Team
composition: Eight total (one senior, two sophomores, five freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Amanda Smith (sr.), Kara Lagenberg
(soph.).

• Outlook: The Raiders
have six first-year members, five of whom are freshmen. They'll focus on
building strength and endurance but bring plenty of energy.

SMAA

Coaches' predictions

1. Columbia Central

2. Stockbridge

3. Albion

4. Leslie

5. Parma West.

6. Hillsdale

Leslie

• Last season:
Tied for fourth

• Coach: Jean
Maiville, 14th season

• Team
composition: 11 total (breakdown N/A)

• Returning
starters: Kayla Hackworth (sr.), Nicole Hayes (sr.), Rachel Hayes (soph.),
Kelsey Blake (soph.).

• Outlook: The
Blackhawks are mostly inexperienced, with all seven newcomers cheering in
the state competitive cheer format for the first time. Three are exchange
students, although one from Australia
was part of a national championship team in her home country.

Stockbridge

• Last season:
Tied for first

• Coach: Becky
Humrich, third season

• Team
composition: 15 total (five seniors, six juniors, one sophomore, three
freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Nicole Caudill (sr.), Megan McDonough (sr.), DeAnna
Moore (sr.), Josie Pezzullo (sr.), Allie Ramirez
(sr.), Marilyn Delorey (jr.),
Sarah Feeheley (jr.), Kaci Schoenberg (jr.), Becca Spada (jr.) Danielle Hart (soph).

• Outlook: The
Panthers again have high aspirations after sharing the league title last
winter. A team with a lot of juniors and seniors could also push to improve
on last season's sixth-place regional finish.

Others

Ithaca

• Last season:
Independent, now in Tri-Valley Conference

• Coach: Jill
Davenport, fourth season

• Team
composition: Nine total (two seniors, seven freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Kali Feldkamp (sr.), Janelle Lemons
(sr.).

• Outlook: Feldkamp is in her third season and helps lead a young
team with good tumbling skills. Freshmen Brittany Bentley, Misty Godley,
Janelle Longanbach and Ashley Packer each have
two seasons of competitive cheer experience at the middle-school level,
which could help them adjust to varsity quicker.

Pewamo-Westphalia

• Last season:
Independent

• Co-coaches:
Staci Meyers, first season; Courtney Miller, second season

• Team
composition: 15 total (four seniors, six juniors, three sophomores, two
freshmen)

• Returning
starters: Chelsea Bengal (sr.), Olivia Schneider (sr.), Erica Fedewa (sr.),
Ariel Schafer (sr.), Kristi Spitzley (jr.), Renae Thelen (jr.), Magen Zenk (jr.), Amber Spitzley (soph.),
Stephanie Keilen
(soph.).

• Outlook: The
Pirates finished state runners-up in Division 4 last season and return a
number of experienced athletes, including four-year members Bengal and Schafer. The team has more members who can
help contribute than in the recent past, while also boasting 14-point
skills in Round 2. Bengal and Kristin Spitzley made the all-state first team last year, while
Schneider, Schafer and Thelen made the second and
Amber Spitzley earned an honorable mention.