Originally published March 20, 2008

Stoney Creek makes big leap, name for itself

By DAN STICKRADT

ECCENTRIC Staff Writer

Sitting in shadows of
the state's premier cheerleading program, Rochester Stoney Creek often
doesn't get as much credit as it deserves. Perhaps its
the same way with the rest of the OAA Division I.

But the Cougars have
slowly made a name for themselves after six years of competition and are
closing the gap on powers such as Rochester,
Grandville, East Kentwood and many other
schools that have enjoyed success in the sport which the MHSAA adopted in
1994.

At the state finals at
Grand Rapids' DeltaPlex two weeks ago, Stoney Creek finished fourth at the Division 1 state
finals. This was not only the Cougars second-ever appearance at the state
meet, but by far its best-ever showing.

"We've come a
long way," admitted Trisha Williams, the school's only coach in its
short-lived history.

District rival Rochester has finished
in the state's top three each of the past 15 seasons, including second this
year, and has won 10 state championships. Fellow OAA-I members Troy Athens
and Lake Orion
have both qualified on multiple occasions, with Athens earning an all-time best seventh
this season.

Stoney Creek edged Lake Orion
at the regional competition March 1 by only a couple of points, when the
Dragons were ranked fifth in the state and the Cougars ninth. Williams said
her team elevated its work-ethic and improved its degree of difficulty in the
stunt round during the seasons's final weeks, which
enabled the Cougars to leap-frog into the state's top five and onto the state
map as a team to watch in years to come.

"I think we
realized that we had to improve our stunt round and the girls worked hard in
order to do that," said Williams. "We pulled it off at the regional
and at the state meet. I don't think a lot of people thought we would be fourth
in the state. Our goal was to get into the top five. I couldn't be more prouder of our team, the work we put into it this
year."

Williams looks at some
of the other powerhouse teams and realizes there is still plenty of distance
to climb until then Cougars can contend with the likes of Rochester and Grandville. But the gap is
slowly closing, nevertheless.

"Rochester is the team to beat every year,
and maybe being in the same league as they are, we kind of in (the
background)," said Williams. "Rochester
has kind of (set the bar) for our sport. But I think every team wants to beat
like Rochester.
We're just gong to keep working hard and hopefully one day."