East Kentwood wins meet, but Grandville cheer champ

Steve Vedder | The Grand Rapids Press, February 19, 2009

ROCKFORD -- East Kentwood's bid to win Wednesday's O-K Red
competitive cheer meet came down to a fraction.

Or, as Falcons assistant
coach Nettie Rogers said, "by the skin of our teeth."

East Kentwood won the conference postseason
meet with 806.3648 points, or 0.9 better than
runner-up Grandville, which finished with an 805.4760.

But because Grandville
won the conference pre-season meet and East Kentwood finished third, the Bulldogs
captured the overall league title with 15 points to the Falcons' 14.

East Kentwood made it tough on Grandville.

"We're saving the
best for last, and this is easier said than done," said Rogers, who
joined co-assistant Stephanie Stephenson in filling in for head coach Stacy Sheler, who missed the meet because of family
obligations. "We won by the skin of our teeth, but that proves to the
girls they are saving the best for last."

East Kentwood led the Bulldogs in points after
two rounds, 483.9648 to 483.0760, and hung on through the third round.

Finishing runner-up in
the final competition before Saturday's Division 1 district at Rockford suited Grandville coach Julie
Smith-Boyd. It was the sixth invitational the team won this season.

"The overall
championship is important because that makes us conference champs, and that
will help us build momentum and gives us confidence," said Smith-Boyd,
whose team won a state title a year ago.

The top four district
teams will qualify for regionals, a crucial first
step in returning to the state meet, she said.

"We lost some key
people, so it's taken time to build our momentum," Smith-Boyd said.
"We're clicking off the little things that we need to do better."