Thursday, March 9, 2006

Maroons
cheering for own state title

By LEO MARTONOSI Senior
correspondent

The Holland Christian competitive cheer team isn't content
with just showing up at the Class B state meet this weekend.

The
Maroons are hungrier than they were last year when they placed state
runner-up.

"Last
year we didn't know what to expect," Holland Christian coach Peggy Lintemuth said. "We just wanted to soak it in and
enjoy the atmosphere.

"It's
an honor to be back at state, but this year we are working for the win."

The
Maroons rank third in the coaches' state rankings heading into Saturday's 6
p.m. meet at the Deltaplex in Grand Rapids. They trail top-ranked Remus
Chippewa Hills and No. 2 Chesaning.

Cheerleader
Meg Evenhouse is looking forward to competing.

"We
have just worked so hard to get where we are today and now that we have made
it to state, I just want to keep going and do the best that we can," Evenhouse said. "If we really work hard this week
and focus on our goal, I think we could do amazing at state. I've never been
more excited to just go out there and show everyone what we can do."

Teammate
Darlene Draisma agreed.

"I am
really excited to be going back to the state finals," she said.
"Our hard work really paid off. I think that we could do very well
because our season's scores have been consistent, and generally in the
running with the top teams.

"I
never realized how well we could do until I saw the season's state finalists'
scores. I feel our team really wants the big win."

Draisma and Abbey Zwagerman are
proud of how far the program has come since they started as freshmen. They
are the only four-year varsity competitive cheerleaders.

"I
can't believe how far we've come in four years," Zwagerman
said. "I just want to give it all I've got for the last time ever.

"I
truly believe that we have the potential to be the best out there, but state
can be anyone's day."

Two other
seniors are confident as well.

"At
this point we have sold our hearts to cheerleading, to our performance and to
each other," Clare Carbonaro said. "It
will feel really good to sell it at state."

"I am
extremely excited for our state competition," Cathy Hoitenga
said. "We've worked very hard and put so much into perfecting our
cheers. I just want us to do our best, the best we've done all season and to
have fun."

The top
three teams all finished within five points of each other during their
respective regionals.

Chesaning
scored the highest at 726.5, while Chippewa Hills registered a 725. The
Maroons had 721.3.

"Anything
can happen. You just never know," Lintemuth
said. "There's a lot of very good teams in the state finals. "You don't get this far by not having a strong
team."

The
Maroons are scheduled to start off the state finals with the first draw.

"We
just have to go out there and give the judges our best scores," Lintemuth said. "I was a Class A judge years ago,
and I never short-changed any team that went first. These people are good
judges. I don't think they will either."