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Central Montcalm rallies past Belding

Central Montcalm
rallies past Belding in competitive cheer

BY JOHN RAFFEL

DAILY NEWS SPORTS EDITOR

January 9, 2006

STANTON —
Central Montcalm and Belding have quite a
rivalry in competitive cheer. The two teams usually finished close to each
other when they were in the same meets during past years.

That continued at Saturday’s Central Montcalm Hornet 2006 New Year Cheer,
when the host team scored 572.3 points in Division 2 to sneak past second
place Belding, which had 563.4. Belding led Central 159 157 after Round 1,
which featured a variety of skills, and 329.4 319.3 after Round 2’s
compulsory skills. But the Hornets mounted a 253 234 scoring edge in the
final round, which was highlighted by mounts and stunts. Meanwhile, the
Redskins were penalized 14 points.

“We did very well,” said Belding Coach Stacy Venneman. “But in Round 3 we had a penalty that
cost us first place. We had one girl bump into another. “We need to
work on our tumbling and stunts,” she said. “We’ve had some
injuries we’ve had to work through.”

Central Montcalm Coach Deb Comden was happy with
her team’s season debut. “I’m ecstatic. I got what I
figured the girls would do,” she said. “Round 2 is when the girls
really stepped up. I still have more things to add to Round 3. I’m
hoping they get better.”

Belding will host a cheer meet Thursday and Central
Montcalm will be among the opponents.

“Now that I’ve got some scores, I’ll know what to work
on,” Comden said.

Lakeview has a new coach this season in John Powell and picked up seven
penalty points for a score of 89.5 in the first round of Division 1
competition. The Wildcats were penalized 70 points in the second round and
didn’t compete for a score in the third round. Powell said the
penalties were assessed for not meeting certain requirements such as jumps
and other skills.

Ovid Elsie captured first place in Division 1 with 607.1 points while
Lakeview was fourth with 87.5.

“It’s a brand new team. We didn’t have a program
last year,” Powell said “A lot of girls
haven’t cheered before. Now, after this meet, they have an idea that
they can do it.”

Lakeview will compete in the Chippewa Hills Invitational on Jan. 21.

“We’re working on having a Round 3,” Powell said.
“We’ll see what we can do on it.”

He said he and his squad will continue to learn as the
season progresses. “I’m from a gymnastics background,”
Powell said. “I’ve worked in Grand Rapids teaching gymnastics. This is
my first year of coaching a cheer team. Deb Comden
has really helped me.”

Breckenridge won Division 3 with 694.4 points.