Published March 13, 2005

Prep
cheerleading: Ovid-Elsie wins state title

Marauders claim
championship for 2nd straight year

Lansing State Journal

GRAND RAPIDS - The Ovid-Elsie
cheerleading team overcame a 6.5-point deficit to claim its second consecutive
Class B state championship by 3.5 points at the Delta Plex
in Grand Rapids on Saturday.

The Marauders (705.5 points) trailed Holland Christian 190-183.5 after the
first round but tied for the highest score (212.5) with Grosse Ile in the
second round to take control of the meet.

"We did well in round two, which is a lot of tumbling," said
Ovid-Elsie coach Sonya Latz, who is in her 16th year
of coaching. "Our round three, the stunt round, was beautiful. It was
absolutely gorgeous and we knew that we were near the top, but we didn't know
until those final scores went up that we had won."

The Marauders, who were making their fifth trip to the state finals,
recorded 309.5 points in that final round.

Holland (190-201.5-310.5) placed second with 702 points.

The Ovid-Elsie team includes: Evelyn Braun, Genia
Barclay, Katie Calverley, Stacy Criner,
Brandy Ford, Brittney Franks, Kasey Gunthorpe, Donielle Heinze, Jessie Honke, Sarah Honke, Samantha Kellogg, Holly Lopez, Jill Plesko, Kara Porubsky, Melissa Strapec, Sarah Thelen, Ashley Tomasek and Lindsey Tomasek.

P-W takes 2nd place

The Pewamo-Westphalia competitive cheerleading team finished second in the
Class C-D state finals for the second straight year.

The Pirates (188.5-193.5-295-677) led Breckenridge 188.5-185 after the first
round, but Breckenridge took home the state title with a final score of 694.5.

"The girls were excited and they did an awesome job," P-W coach Kami Neal said. "They're pleased with their place.
Everyone wants to come out in first, but it can't always go the way you want
it."

The team includes: Kristy Bengal, Monica Schrauben,
Ariel Schafer, Chelsea Bengal, Kristin Wieber, Katie Spitzley, Abby Fedewa, Olivia
Schneider, Erin Schafer, Cindy Piggott, Brooke Pung,
Ashley Weber, Ehrin Thoma,
Amber Drospe, Ferrin
Lamont, Lyndi Kowatch,
Melissa Wohlfert, Nikki Thelen,
Trina Schneider and Kylie Cherpes.