PUBLISHED:
Sunday, March 9, 2008

Big Blue is back

By JIM LAHDE

Sun Sports Writer

GRAND
RAPIDS - Many would call it hype, the kind of
exonerations that were thrown forth heading into Saturday's competitive cheer
state finals. Such statements as "we're going to reclaim what is
ours" or "blue is back" usually amount to haphazard attempts
of vindication from one that has no right in stating such.

Problem is that the team that was
talking the talk also strolled into the Delta Plex
Saturday and walked the walk, putting up while the remaining nine teams in
the Division 3 field were shutting up.

As it was the Chippewa
Hills High
School competitive cheer team put its money
where its mouth was Saturday, winning its second state title in the last
three years via an impressive showing.

"I feel pretty dog-gone good," said Warriors coach
Jenna Ruddell, whose team won the meet going away
by posting a score of 764.408.

"We came to the Delta Plex and
did what we needed to do, had the best three rounds
of the year. Our fan base in the stands did a nice job of chirping and our
girls fed off that and gained momentum as the meet went along."

Comstock Park finished a distant second in the meet
with with 735.648 points, some 29 less than the
Warriors.

Right out of the gate Chippewa Hills established its dominance,
posting a 229 in the first round to claim a 10-point lead over Comstock Park. From there the Warriors won
round two via a score of 229.408, again some 10 points better than the
Panthers.

By the time the third round came around the Warriors had a
sizable lead, yet they also had to lead off the festivities in the final
round which is never an easy thing to do.

No matter though.

"Being first is great, it's the perfect spot to be
in," Ruddell added. "I didn't think it
was a done deal before the final round, but once we were done with round three I knew it was over, we took the other teams
out."

The Warriors, who finished runner-up one year ago after winning
the state title in 2006, had been awaiting their return trip to the season
finale for some time going in.

So much so that Ruddell said her and
her team had spent hour upon hour prepping for what would their finest hour.

"Since Nov. 4 (2007) it's been a race to fix the
details," said Ruddell. "The difference
(Saturday) is attributable to this team's strength both mentally and
physically. We work hard in practice working on the details. "We came
back to reclaim the title, that was our focus and now we're back on top
baby."

Indeed.