Originally published
February 17, 2008

Cheery day for Van Hoosen Middle School girls

Van Hoosen Middle School’s title-winning eighth-grade cheer team
features (back row, from left) coach Alixe
Neville, Kalley Matthews, Adrianna Asaro, Crysten Curry, Olivia
Salmon, Alyse Wilson, Megan Minadeo,
Carly Swiftney and
Lauren DeBano; (middle row, from left) Jessica
Smith, Erin Dillon, Molly McCain; and (front row, from left) Rachael Ridley,
Ashley Durand, Lesley Nido Madeleine Prechtel and Stephanie Ross.

The seventh-grade cheer team from Van Hoosen Middle School shows of its
second-place trophy. Pictured are (back row, from left) coach Alixe Neville, Emily Kubo, Rachel Okarski,
Johanna Chambery, Emily Troutman, Julia Rogers, Catherine Wood, Rachel Wehbe, Emily Smith and Annie Hess and (front row, from
left) Mackenzie Barber, Dana Drouillard, Kelsey
Lawrence, Katy Morrison, Emily Mettam, Brianna Lumetta and Marcela Darris.

Jan. 19 was a great
day for the seventh- and eighth-grade cheer teams from Van Hoosen Middle
School in Rochester Hills.

Competing in the Brighton
Best Competitive Cheerleading Invitational, the eighth-graders put their hard
work and practice on display and walked away with the first-place title.

Their precision and
flawless routines were a step above the rest and represented an outpouring of
energy and true team spirit.

The seventh-graders
demonstrated similar skills and earned second place in their division.

"From the first
day I started coaching the Van Hoosen Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade
cheer teams, I knew these girls had great potential," said coach Alixe Neville.

"Since the start
of the season, these girls have been pushing themselves farther and working
harder than ever before. Their results from the competition definitely show
the effort they put in at practice. I am very proud of them."