Third at
regional translates into a win for cheer team

Thursday,
March 09, 2006

By Dean
Holzwarth

The Grand Rapids Press

The Forest
Hills competitive cheer team wanted to end the season at regionals with no regrets.

Mission accomplished.

Forest Hills just missed qualifying
for the state finals after placing third last Saturday at a Class A regional
at Mount Pleasant.
But there was no disappointment in how they performed.

"I couldn't have been prouder
of them even if we had won," Forest Hills
coach Leslie Landis said. "They wanted to have their best day possible
and they came off the floor knowing that they couldn't have done any better.
It was our best meet of the season and that's what every team hopes for at regionals."

Forest Hills finished behind Mount Pleasant and champion Rockford with a three-round score of 689.

It was their best finish at a
regional since a co-op team was formed seven years ago.

Forest Hills placed second in the OK Gold/White
Conference behind Kenowa Hills, but won the postseason tournament Feb. 25.
Landis said the victory raised the spirits of her girls entering regionals.

"Our goal (at regionals) was to have a good showing and leave our best
performance on the mat and we did that. The two best teams at our regional
are going to the state finals and that's the way it should be."

Forest Hills senior Jill Fahner
was thrilled with how her team competed.

"We gave 110 percent and it
was amazing. It was like one heartbeat on the floor."

Fahner was one of seven seniors who ended
their high school careers Saturday. The others include Emily Dwyer, Holly
Karr, Brittney Maring, Courtney Swenk,
Katherine Kutzli and Bekah
LaFave.