Glen Burnie makes history; Chesapeake-AA claims 17th title
Every member of Glen Burnie cheerleading held their breath. They pressed together, hands clasped, foreheads to the floor of Harford Community College’s APGFCU Arena on Tuesday.
They waited just like this one year ago for their name to be called last — and it wasn’t. North Point’s was.
“It was like a flashback,” Glen Burnie coach Jami McCoy said. “I thought, ‘Please say Glen Burnie.’ Because it’s never sure.”
But this time, there was no disappointment. Relief washed over the Gophers when South River’s name was called for third, and then Perry Hall for second place. McCoy felt like she could breathe again.
Most of the Gophers shot to their feet, screaming, hugging each other. Some bent their knees and cried. With 124.7 points, Glen Burnie not only earned the top prize, the Class 4A state championship that escaped them one year ago, but a piece of history.
For the first time in Glen Burnie’s century-spanning history, a Gophers program brought home a second team state title in a single school year. Of course, it happened to be the same team that brought home the first one too.
The Gophers cheer squad made history two fall seasons ago when they captured the first title in program history, as well as the first Glen Burnie crown in 22 years. Tuesday’s title is now the program’s third.
“It feels just as good as the first time. These kids deserve it so much,” McCoy said. “These seniors, just to see the joy on their face, it’s worth every second.”
Ashley Calderone’s heart dropped when second place was announced. It really happened; she and the other Glen Burnie seniors would walk out as champions. The Gophers that walked in as freshmen exit a program entirely different than they found it. Then, Glen Burnie played bridesmaid far too often, silver medalists at best. McCoy and her staff worked to grow and sustain a program.
While most teams operate with one group, the Gophers split in two for practice. When they’re able to nail timing as one unit, McCoy said, “it’s the game-changer.” Though they won another region title with flying colors less than a week ago, the Gophers drilled timing intensely all week.
“If it wasn’t perfect, we did it again,” Calderone said. “I think that showed in what we did today.”
When Gophers took flight, it was as if electricity flew from their hands. Every step locked in sync. There was never a moment of stillness. Even when it came time for their cheer, the music quieted and the Gophers unleashed their chant while somersaulting.
But the beacon of it all, the ringer that awarded Glen Burnie the crown? McCoy is sure of it.
“Our pyramid was flawless,” she said. “When they do it, how they do it, it is undeniable. The best.”
Glen Burnie shared the stage on Tuesday, just as it had in the fall. Emotion flushed through Chesapeake’s cheerleaders and coaches, as it has the last 16 times they’ve taken home the state hardware. With 125.4 points — the highest score of the night — the Cougars defended their winter crown in 3A.
For many of the Cougars, this would be their very last time. Chesapeake carries a large senior class, including those who starred in daring flights atop the pyramid Tuesday. Flyers spun from stack to stack — a retro Chesapeake move that took several practices for this group to perfect — and whirled in the air in basket tosses. No team deployed more stunts than the Cougars.
About midway through them all, Jasmin
Sanabria’s brow furrowed. Tears welled in her eyes. And yet, despite the emotional battle the senior fought in her head, the rest of her never missed a single beat.
“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Sanabria said. “You have to take it all in, but then at the same time give it all you got. There’s so many underclassmen on the team that I was not only doing it for myself and my other seniors but them, too. I wanted it more for them than I did myself.”
Sanabria wasn’t the only one wracked with joyful sadness. As longtime Chesapeake coach Lisa Elliott strode to the coaches’ corner while her cheerleaders took the mat, emotion struck her too. “Oh my gosh,” Elliott kept saying, “It’s about to happen.” She, too, felt the tears coming on.
“They work so hard. We talk a lot about
keeping it together as much as you can. We don’t let the emotions take over. But,” Elliott said trailing off.
The Cougars faced steep competition in Crofton, who placed third with 123 points. Linganore, who took second (123.65) upset Chesapeake for the fall title in 2019.
Chesapeake’s placement in the order of teams meant the Cougars waited in the hallway while Linganore went on. But knowing the strength of the Lancers, Chesapeake knew it had to unfurl everything it had to edge them.
“It just came down to maybe energy, who had the cleanest [set],” assistant coach and choreographer Joe Vecchioni said. “There were some fantastic teams out there today, and I’m just happy we could go out there strong. That was our goal.”