Athens squad has something
to cheer about

New, improved skills
put Red Hawks in contention with rival Rochester

February 2, 2006

BY CHRIS LAU

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Troy Athens varsity
cheer squad members strike a pose during the Detroit Tigers pep assembly
Jan. 24 at the high school. The Red Hawks are hoping to score big at
Saturday's Oakland Athletic Association meet at Berkley High School. (PATRICIA
BECK/Detroit Free Press)

Two years ago, the
Troy Athens cheer squad was good -- good enough for eighth place at the Class
A state finals. And they've been ranked in the top 10 in the state the last
three years.

But Athens
has not outscored Rochester
in any competition.

At Rochester Hills
Stoney Creek's Cougar Spirit Invitational on Jan. 25, the Red Hawks scored
671 points and finished second to Rochester,
which scored 706.8.

Rochester is Michigan's elite squad with nine Class A
state titles, but that gap is closing.

How has Troy Athens
worked to improve?

"Adding the
standing back tuck was the next step for this team," senior Kaja Mitevska said. "We
spent three years working on it. We're the first team in school history to do
the standing back tuck."

The tuck, in which a
squad member flips backwards and lands on her feet, wasn't in the Red Hawks'
repertoire when this team's seniors and leaders were junior varsity or
freshman cheerleaders.

During the past three
years, the team worked hard to improve their tumbling and other skills. Coach
Stephanie Brosky decided the girls have picked up
the maneuver well enough to use it in routines.

This team has a
stronger work ethic and higher level of gymnastics skills than teams of years
past, Brosky said. "I push them, but they're
always a step ahead of me," she said.

Many of the teams
compete against each other weekly at invitationals,
but stakes will be higher Saturday at the Oakland Athletic Association meet
at Berkley High School. County pride will be on
the line.

Rochester, which has taken
titles in three of four competitions this season, is favored to win.

"Athens
is getting a lot better," Rochester
senior captain Katie Ziegeler said. "Their
stunting is getting better and cleaner, and their arm motions are almost as
good as ours. I think we'll win, but it's hard to tell. Athens is getting really good."

The county's other top
teams, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, which finished 10th at the state meet
last season, and Lake Orion will compete Saturday, and Troy High also will be
in contention.

"It's always
close between Lake Orion, Stoney Creek and our team," Athens senior Lauren Pasbjerg said. "We prepared a lot to beat them
at" the Cougar Invitational.