From Staff Reports
The Cedartown High School competition cheerleaders won their first ever state title on Nov. 12, also marking the first time a team sport has won a title at the high school since 1963.
They also earned the highest score ever earned by a cheer squad, and the highest score of their year.
This squad earned an 8-0 record for the 2016 season and had absolutely zero deductions for the entire year on the score sheet.
“Wow!” was all the coaches could say as the squad put an almost flawless performance on the floor at state in Columbus against other Class AAAA competitors.
"Their routine topped all the other routines together for the year as far as performance," said head coach Brigitte Tillery. "They excelled in every area of the score sheet and they walked onto those mats at state with the confidence, showmanship and skills it took to win the title! I have coached many, many squads at the state level and I have always been fortunate enough to coach squads that had a dedication and desire to win, this squad also had the skills it takes to win a state title."
Tillery said her squad improved each week, working in practice to perfect their stunting, tumbling, jumping and pyramid areas to the best of their abilities because they knew if they put the performance of the year on the mats.
"They had a chance to earn this championship with all the hard work they put in,” she said. “When they finished the routine on Saturday, we, their coaches, as well as their fans went absolutely wild because we knew they had just outperformed themselves and their opponents to win." And win big is what they did. They won by a large points spread and they earned every point throughout the challenging 2.5 minute routine full of the highest level cheerleading skills.
"We were able to max out in tumbling this year for the first time ever, having three standing to full tumbling passes and five running full passes. This was a tremendous help," Tillery said. "These girls have amazed us each and every week and we could not have been more excited or proud of them and the effort they have put in to this season to go undefeated.
They would like to thank their families and friends for the unwavering support throughout the entire season, and on Nov. 12 at the state title meet.
They would also like to give added thanks to athletic director and football coach Scott Hendrix and principal Dr. Darrell Wetherington for everything they did to help the team through the season.