Park Vista wins state with injured teammate on mind
Park Vista won its second straight Medium Division Co-Ed state cheerleading championship with 70.90 points Saturday in the two-day competition held at RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
The Cobras were the lone South Florida team to bring home a title this season. With COVID restrictions, most of the cheerleading teams in Broward and Palm Beach County were unable to practice their full routines until mid-December and only competed in one event — the regionals — just one week before state.
For Park Vista, it was the Cobras’ fourth state title in school history joining girls bowling (2012) and girls softball (2019). The championship also capped a season dedicated to senior Austin Polly, who had joined the cheerleading squad earlier in the school year.
Polly, who was a member of the school’s soccer team as well, suffered a spinal cord injury in late November during a diving accident. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
“I am so happy, especially for our six seniors who were robbed of their homecoming and lost out on their prom last year due to COVID,” said Park Vista Patty Galley. “Our talent is through the roof and they showed it despite not getting started until really late this year.”
Park Vista team captain Jenna Ebert said her squad was like one big family. She said the squad put together a basket to send to Polly and they wanted to win state for him.
“This is so rewarding,” Ebert said. “I have cheered 13 years in my life, and I am an emotional mess. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Seminole Ridge was third with 61.50 points.
In Class 2A Medium Division Varsity Finals, defending state champion Jupiter finished second with 80.70 points, while archrival Winter Park won with 82.90. The Warriors have finished runner-up to Winter Park six times. Winter Park won in 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2008. Jupiter topped the Wildcats last year.
Defending state champion West Broward was second in the Class 2A Extra Large Division Non-Tumbling category with 83.90 points, finishing just behind Doral (Miami) who finished with 86.10 points.
Large Division Non-Tumbling: Cooper City finished second (82.20), its highest finish ever in school history. Lake Brantley won the state title with 86.00 points. Coral Glades, which finished second last year after winning the previous three years, took third with 81.10 points. Palm Beach Central (80.00) was fourth.
Coral Springs Charter placed second in the state in the Small Division Varsity Finals with 78.80 points, which was just behind winner Providence (79.50). It was the first time in school history that the Panthers competed in that division.
King’s Academy was third (84.30) in the Class 1A Large Division Non-Tumbling category, while Pompano Beach was fifth with 70.20 points in the Class 1A Medium Division Non-Tumbling.
In other Class 2A competitions: Small Division Varsity Finals: 7. Monarch (65.90); Small Division Non-Tumbling: 3. Miramar (84.90), 6. Coral Springs (81.20), 7. Boca Raton (78.20); Small Division Non-Tumbling: 4. Wellington (77.70); Extra Large Division Varsity: 3. Western (60.70).