Grandville
wins state title

Saturday,
March 08, 2008

By
Steve Ungrey

The Grand Rapids Press

WALKER -- The Grandville competitive
cheer team nervously crouched as the DeltaPlex announcer counted down from
10th place to third.

Jillayne Kurtz closed her eyes when it
came time to announce the second-place team. When Kurtz heard Rochester, she leaped
up with her teammates in a circle of pure pandemonium.

For the first -- and as
it turned out, last -- time in her cheer career, she could walk off the mat
as a champion.

The
Bulldogs returned to the winners' circle for the first time since 2004,
capturing their fourth state title with a score of 794.804 and edging
perennial rival Rochester
by 2.5 points.

"Rochester did an amazing job, but what went
through our heads is we had a perfect round three and we did a great
job," Kurtz said. "When you're sitting there waiting your head's
racing and your heart's just pounding. You just freak because it's so
exciting."

East
Kentwood,
which beat Grandville at last week's Division 1 regional, took third overall
with 782.428.

Kurtz didn't know if
Grandville's lead after two rounds would stand up. Rochester
delivered an electrifying, flawless third round that sent the DeltaPlex crowd
into hysterics and left Grandville hoping it could match Rochester's effort.

"On the back mats we
told everyone leave all our doubts before we went out there," Kurtz
said. "Know you can do it. It's the most unbelievable feeling in my life
and I could cry. We really had our peak today."

Kurtz was one of seven
seniors on the team along with Kedna Sall, Katelyn Oosterhouse, Brittany
Blevins, Natalie Ritsema, Ashlee Forde and Rachael Kishman.

Grandville coach Julie
Smith-Boyd called last week's second-place finish at regionals
a "defining moment."

"We were second, but
we were just so thrilled to be going to state. In the last few years it
hasn't been as automatic, but there hasn't been as much stress."

For East
Kentwood coach Stacy Sheler, finishing
third was as important as staying consistent during the entire meet.

"I'm very
happy," Sheler said. "Any of the top
three spots in this competition would have been great and it was obviously
Grandville's day."