Tigers cheer team goes wire-to-wire to claim 4th-straight title
For the 9th time in 11 years, Taos cheer dominates the field to bring home the blue trophy
The Taos Tigers cheer team won their fourth-straight class 4A state title after competing in the 2024 event in the UNM Pit April 6, the ninth time in the past 11 years the Tigers have clinched the state championship.
In total, 13 teams competed in the 4A division, with each squad performing a “game day” and a “cheer with music” routine in front of a panel of judges.
Multiple medals
As champions, each individual Tigers team member received a medal to underscore their triumph. Two seniors, Feliz Valerio and Alyssa Maul, earned their fourthconsecutive medals, both having participated in Taos’ championshipwinning cheer program since they were freshmen and starting with the program in middle school.
“They have been with the team since eighth grade, so they could have picked up their fifth medal today,” said Coach Lisa Abeyta-Valerio after celebrating the announcement of their victory. “Having to sit out for a year (because of COVID)
prevented them from possibly being five-time champions.”
Abeyta-Valerio is right to feel confident about her chances. The legendary coach has a total of nine first-place trophies and one runnerup award from 2019.
As a coach, Abeyta-Valerio is unmatched in the state, as well.
Eleven months
This year’s competition was challenging, however, and included some hard-charging teams determined to knock Taos off their perch.
St. Pius X (Albuquerque) High School — whose team came in second with 171 points — cracked the top three for the first time in their program’s history. The Sartans were followed by Valley (Albuquerque) High School, whose team earned 165.1 points.
The Tigers led the competition from start to finish, registering a 90.7 for their gameday routine and an 88.97 for their cheer with music for a total of 179.67 points. To hold off their skilled competitors, Taos had to perform all but flawlessly.
“Our stunts were very technical,” Abeyta-Valerio said, citing this current team’s strengths during post competition remarks. “These were difficult to get, but we were able execute them successfully.”
When asked what it takes to consistently compete at such a high level, and remain so dominant for so long, Abeyta-Valerio did not mince words about the requirements.
“It’s 11 months of a lot of hard work that begins in the summer, and is a complete commitment to the end,” Abeyta-Valerio declared potently, as she turned slightly to acknowledge her team with a nod. “It’s not only their sacrifice, but it’s their families’ sacrifice, as well.”
Community support
If crowd size was a component of a team’s final score, then the fans that showed up to support the Tigers would definitely have received a sizable chunk of auxiliary points. Clad in matching orange and black T-shirts, the Taos fans on hand poured down to the viewing area inside the Pit to show their support for their local team, making their presence known in the storied sports arena throughout the competition.
Further credit for Taos’ cheer team dynasty comes from an effective sports specific culture that fosters interest and excellence, Abeyta-Valerio said: “We have a huge community support system. Our youth ‘feeder’ program has been in existence in Taos for a very long time.”
Upon the team’s return from Albuquerque, members of the local police and fire department greeted the bus that carried the team and provided an escort into town.
When asked about what the future holds for the team, AbeytaValerio didn’t mince words.
“We are on a quest for number five,” she said. “Absolutely, we are going to keep this going.”