Center's cheer team finishes ninth

Sunday,
March 13, 2005

By Zeke
Jennings

Staff
Writer

GRAND
RAPIDS --
The Michigan Center High School
competitive cheer squad finished ninth Saturday in the Class C-D state final.

The Cardinals, making their
third consecutive appearance in the final, finished with a score of 569.
Breckenridge won its second straight state title with 694.5.

"I was pleased with
their performance," Michigan
Center coach Jessica Trefry said. "We have a young team overall. This is
something to build on, and I think we're going to be even stronger next
year."

The Cardinals were within
striking distance of the leaders following the first round but received a low
second-round score despite not making any significant errors.

"I was a little
disappointed with our (second-round) score," Trefry
said. "We, as coaches, expected it to be a little higher."

Trefry said that youth and a few nerves may
have taken their toll on the team in the third and final round, as the
Cardinals suffered through some technical errors in their routine.

Michigan Center earned a spot in the finals by edging
Cascades Conference rival Napoleon for second in the regional. The top two
teams in each region advance to the finals. Hudson finished first in the region and third
in the state.

"We were just so happy
to even be here," said Trefry, in her fourth
year as coach. "Making three straight state finals is something that most
schools don't get a chance to do."

Michigan Center, which finished fifth in last year's
final, looks to be in the hunt again next year. The Cardinals lose just four
seniors from this year's team.

-- Reach reporter Zeke
Jennings at 789-1250 or [email-masked].

© 2005 Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Used with permission