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Belding competitive cheerleaders fourth at home conference meet

BY JOHN RAFFEL

DAILY NEWS SPORTS EDITOR

January 26, 2006

BELDING — It had just
finished in the middle of the pack at Wednesday’s O K Blue Conference
competitive cheer meet at Redskin Arena. However, Belding’s team
reacted like it was on top of the world. The Redskins wound up fourth with
572.3 points after all three rounds were concluded. Wyoming
Park was victorious with a score of
664.6 followed by Sparta with 646.5, Comstock Park with 627.1, Belding, Coopersville
with 550, Cedar Springs with 521.8 and Wyoming Rogers with 445.2. It marked
the Redskins’ fourth meet of the season and second conference test. “ We came in with a new Round 3,” Belding
Coach Stacy Venneman said of the round that
highlights stunts and mounts. “We need to work on it some more.”
The Redskins accumulated 155.5 points in the first round and 167.3 during
Round 2 followed by 249.5 in Round 3. “ Overall
I’m pleased,” Venneman said.
“We’ll work on

everything and hopefully get
better.” Belding will have another league meet Monday at Comstock Park. “We’re not the
strongest in Round 3 because we changed that but we’re getting
there,” she said. “Round 2 (compulsories) has been our strongest
round.” “Usually we do a lot better,” said junior Rachel Mc
Gee, a flier for the Redskins. “We cleaned up Round 3. It was a lot
better tonight. Round 2 was our strongest. We’ll do a lot better later
on.” “Our best meet was probably our last one at Wyoming Park,”

said senior Tiann
Hattis, who handles a base position for Belding. “ But we’ve still shown improvement.”
Redskin cheerleaders included Amber Allison, Jenny Brady, Dannielle
Garlick, Lacy Garlick, Hattis, Sarah Heffron, Mc Gee,
Rachel Meredith, Monika Nieto and Emily Venneman. Sparta won the five team junior varsity meet with 542.6
points followed by Comstock Park with 510.5, Wyoming Park
with 494.6, Belding with 444.9

and Cedar Springs with a score
of 402.5. The Redskins’ junior varsity cheerleaders are coached by
Jennie Kenny and Rachelle Ostrander and include Heather Alderink,
Caity Ingraham, Lacie Kelly, Sheree Nieto, Brena Ostrander, Breanna Pena,
Christina Skowron, Brianne Stevens, Cassie Thomas
and Rachel Warner. Belding’s junior varsity will take part in an
invitational at Comstock
Park on Saturday.

Belding cheerleaders finish their routine during the
first round of Wednesday’s Competitive Cheer Rainbow Rally.

Belding’s Emily Venneman
takes part in a cheer during Wednesday’s second round, which features
compulsories.