Lansing Catholic wins first
competitive cheer crown

By Geoff Kimmerly
and Chris Corlett.

Lansing State Journal • February 19, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal

The Lansing Catholic competitive
cheer team clinched its first ever league title by winning the CAAC
Blue/White last week.

And it could be just the start for
a program on the rise as it continues to adapt to the competitive format.

The Cougars finished second to Lakewood at the final league jamboree, but
have averaged more than 700 points this season and scored its season-high of
743.3312 despite finishing runner-up to the Vikings.

"This year has been our best
ever," said 14-year coach Jodi Boehringer.
"We're breaking school records at every competition.

"Last season, it was our goal
to reach the 700 mark and this season we've done it three times."

The team consists of seniors CJ
Courter, Jordan Garvie and Sarah Swiderski; juniors Hallie St.
Marie, Jessica Hospodar, Rachel Schumacher, Hannah Lindman, Mackenzie Mohr, Chelsea Bridson,
Jessica Poke, Chelsea Kobus, Marie Kone, Tessa Felley, Alexa VanElslander and Amy Goeckel and sophomore MaryGrace
Mayotte.

"Not only do they work hard
for me," Boehringer said. "They work hard
in the classroom as well. Our average team GPA is 3.44."

Lansing Catholic will compete at
the Otsego district Saturday.

CAAC Red

Mason won its fifth consecutive
league title with a final jamboree score of 757.638, nearly 19 points ahead
of second-place St. Johns, which finished with 738.8648.

"We've been working real hard
and improving every competition," Mason coach Kathy Showers said.
"We've reached all of our goals so far and we're trying to reach a
couple more, most importantly, making it to the state finals."

The Bulldogs are ranked No. 6 in
the state in Division 2 and will compete in the Haslett district Saturday.

The team is made up of seniors
Leslie Barker, Sydney Haag, Alex Hyde and Jessica Pasch; juniors Janna Buskirk, Eliza Hatz, Lindsey
Kinney, Olivia Kinney, Katie Moore, Katie Pier, Mindy Robedeau,
and Kendra Sabbadin; sophomores Ellen Barker, Emily
Reader and Taylor Thie; and freshmen Britnie Way and Danielle Strunk.

CAAC Gold

A first-year varsity coach and a
veteran team led to another league title for area powerhouse DeWitt.

The Panthers, ranked No. 5 in the
state's Division 2, won all three CAAC Gold jamborees this season to win
their third straight league title, but this time under first-year coach
Candace Heskitt - a member of the 1998 sideline
state runner-up team and the junior varsity coach under retired Deb Rambow the last five seasons.

"Pretty much everything I
know, I learned from her, so it was a very smooth transition for me," Heskitt said.

"It's a totally different
dynamic this year. The majority of the team is seniors. They are just diehard, they are hungry, non-stop full intensity and really
want to do something big.

The Panthers will also compete at
the Haslett district Saturday.

Team members are seniors Allyson
Chase, Andrea Coon, Amanda Deak, Kirsty Holding, Morgan Kirkey,
Andrea Martin, Calley Rivard,
Tayler Shinabery, Randi
Smith, Casey Spedoske, Ashley Ward, Sydney Watkins
and Stephanie Wickham; juniors Nicole Bendt,
Lindsay Chestnut, Kailee Graham, Tori Pung and Shelby Stevens;
and freshmen Audrey Koenigsknecht and Delaney Norton.