Posted:
3-13-2008

Shelby cheer team takes 10th at state

GRAND RAPIDS — The Shelby Varsity
Competitive Cheer Team took 10th place in Division 3 at the state finals last
Saturday, March 8, at the Delta Plex.

“Not bad for being moved up
to Division 3,” said Shelby
coach Penny Grinage-Guy, “but not what we had
hoped for.” The cheer team competed in Division 4 during previous
seasons, but was moved up this year to the more competitive Division 3.

“It was a great run, and it
was an honor to coach this great group of girls,” said Grinage-Guy of her squad’s successful season. The
Tiger team won the Coastal Competitive Cheer Conference for the fourth year
in a row and also took second place at regionals,
March 1. Their second-place regional slot earned them a trip to the state
finals.

“I will be losing seven
leaders to graduation, so my four seniors have big shoes to fill next
year,” the coach said of her veteran squad. “The girls performed
a strong round one, but unfortunately the score doesn't reflect that. Round
two was also a good round but our round three was our best. Despite not
scoring as high as they had hoped for to move up a spot or two, they went out
there and gave an excellent performance, ending on a strong note.”

The Shelby team continues to achieve success in
a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity. Last year, the Tiger cheerleaders
finished eighth at state in Division 4 and were regional runners-up. In 2006,
they took seventh at state in Class C-D and were regional champions. In 2005,
they gained an eighth-place finish in Class C-D at state and second place at regionals. In 2003, they took fifth at state and second
place at regionals.

Chippewa Hills took the state
title in Division 3 this year, while Grandville captured the title in
Division 1, Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2 and Pewamo-Westphalia in Division
4.

Division 3 team results

1. Chippewa Hills: round 1, 229.0;
round 2, 229.408; round 3, 306.0; total, 764.408

2. Comstock Park:
round 1, 219.0; round 2, 219.148; round 3, 297.5; total, 735.648

3. Chesaning: round 1, 217.5;
round 2, 207.264; round 3, 294.0; total, 716.764.

4. Grosse Ile: round 1, 207.5;
round 2, 208.486; round 3, 294.5; total, 710.486.

5. Richmond: round 1, 208.5; round 2, 208.160;
round 3, 294.0; total, 708.660.

6. Houghton Lake:
round 1, 214.0; round 2, 196.272; round 3, 291.5; total, 701.772.

7. Ovid-Elsie: round 1, 215.0;
round 2, 185.343; round 3, 287.5; total, 687.843.

8. Lansing Catholic: round 1, 208.5; round 2,
188.512; round 3, 281.0; total, 678.012.

9. Otsego: round 1, 207.5; round
2, 198.658; round 3, 279.5; total, 677.658.

10. Shelby: round 1, 190.0;
round 2, 188.834; round 3, 291.0; total, 669.834.