Marauders back-to-back
state cheer champs

By The Argus-Press

Saturday, March 12, 2005
11:18 PM EST

GRAND RAPIDS - Make that two straight state titles for the Ovid-Elsie
competitive cheer team.

Argus-Press
Photo/Jerome Murphy OVID-ELSIE'S 2004-5 competitive cheer team captured its
second straight Class B state championship Saturday in Grand Rapids. There
have been only two state title teams in any sport in the history of
Ovid-Elsie High School and both have come in competitive cheer. The
Marauders, under the guidance of head coach Sonya Latz,
totaled 705.5 points at the Delta-Plex. Holland
Christian was second with 702 points. Members of the state title team include
(front, l-r): Jessie Honke, Melissa Strapec, Brittney Franks, Evelyn Braun, Holly Lopez and
Jill Plesko. In the second row are Casey Gunthorpe, Ashley Tomasek,
Katie Calverly, Samantha Kellogg, Lindsey Tomasek and Stacy Criner. In
the back row are Kara Porubsky, Sarah Honke, Brandy Ford, head coach
Sonya Latz, Danielle Heinze,
Genia Barclay and Sarah Thelen.
Latz was assisted by Sabrina Price-Longoria and Shylo Burgess.

Coach Sonya Latz's Marauders, who captured the school's first state
crown in any sport a year ago, repeated as state champs here at the Delta-Plex in Grand Rapids, scoring 705.5 points.

"Our second and third rounds were awesome," said Latz,
who has coached competitive cheer at Ovid-Elsie for 16 years. "We were in
seventh place after round one but the scores were close. After round two, we
were second behind Grosse Ile. But our rounds two and three were just gorgeous."

Holland Christian was second in the 10-team field with 702 points. Grosse Ile,
which led the field entering the final round, finished third with 697 while
Remus Chippewa Hills was fourth at 685.5 and Richland Gull Lake was fifth at
681.

Rounding out the field were Sparta, sixth at 680.5; Allegan, seventh at 666;
Carlton Airport, eighth at 665; Coloma, ninth at 634; and Chesaning, 10th at
630.5.

Latz said that Chesaning, which had nipped Ovid-Elsie
by a half-point in the regionals, suffered some misfortune in the second round
with a pair of penalties.

"We felt very bad for Chesaning," said Latz.

The Indians, coached by
Lisa Maike and Rachel Stehlik, have captured a record four state crowns. Those came in 1997, 1998, 2001
and 2003.

Ovid-Elsie scored 183.5 points in the first round, 212.5 points in the second
round and 309.5 points in the third round.

"This team in the last two weeks has become their own team," said Latz of her state champions. "Before
they may be have been riding on the shirt tails of last year's team.
It's been hard over the last two weeks and they have learned about who they
are."

Added Latz with enthusiasm,
"We have the best fans in the state. If it wasn't for them, we
wouldn't be here."

Ovid-Elsie was led by All-Staters Evelyn Braun, Katie
Calverley, Casey Gunthorpe,
Jessica Honke, Holly Lopez, Melissa Strapec, Sarah Honke, Kara Porubsky, Brittney Franks, Stacy Criner,
Lindsey Tomasek and Samantha Kellogg.

On top of that, Ovid-Elsie was also recently honored as a Class B Academic
All-State Team with a 3.467 grade point average.

Chesaning scored 191 points in the first round on Saturday. In round two, the
Indians would have scored 206.5 but, after penalties were assessed, scored 148.

In round three, Chesaning scored 291.5.

"At the pace we were going, we were on track to be there," said
Chesaning coach Rachel Stehlik. "But round two
is the compulsory round and everybody has to be in unison and a couple of times
we weren't. The girls were very disappointed."