By Angela Watts
Assistant General Manager, Washington D.C.
** Click the links to the left, above the video, to access a complete photo gallery and highlights from Saturday’s Virginia state cheer championships.
Stone Bridge senior cheerleaders Sierra Ellis and Megan Knodell huddled close together, wiping away unrelenting tears that no doubt represented both immense joy and overwhelming relief.
The
duo then tried to describe what it felt like to have just helped the
Bulldogs capture their third Virginia AAA state cheer championship in
the past four years.
“Oh my Gosh … on top of the world,”
Knodell said. “It’s our senior year, and we didn’t get it last year but
we got it our freshman and sophomore years so to do it again is
amazing.”
And, it seems, better even than going to Disney World.
“It’s
kind of like when you’re a little kid and the first time you ever go to
Disney World, and you’re amazed at everything you see,” Ellis said.
“It’s surreal. Only, it’s even better than that. We’ve worked so hard.
We’ve been in overdrive this whole season. I don’t think I’ve hung out
with my friends since the summer when practice first started.”
Such
dedication paid huge dividends on Saturday, as Stone Bridge totaled
259.5 points in the final round at Virginia Commonwealth University’s
Siegel Center to capture the title. Fairfax finished second with 252.0
points, continuing the Northern Region’s dominance at the competition.
A
team from the Northern Region has captured the Class AAA crown in five
of the past six seasons, including West Springfield in 2003, Stone
Bridge in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and Chantilly in 2007.
“It’s amazing for two teams from the Northern Region to go 1-2 … it’s just so awesome,” said Bulldogs’ Coach Nick Marchio, who cheered under Fairfax Coach Wes Vaughan
on an all-star team and shared a long, congratulatory hug with his
former coach. “I couldn’t be prouder. When you end with a flawless
routine … it’s indescribable. You saw me jump up like eight feet in
the air, it seemed, and run toward my girls.
“When you have a flawless routine you can feel the energy in the air and the crowd just goes wild.”
Northwest
Region representative Gar-Field also shined in a flawlessly-executed
routine that sent the crowd into the night’s biggest frenzy, but the
Indians, who placed second in the preliminary round, were penalized 11
points in deductions for what judges ruled an illegal execution of a
double-down stunt. Gar-Field performed a similar stunt in the
preliminary round and no deductions were taken. As a result of the
markdown, the Indians fell to fourth place in the final standings.
“I
just told them … they could be at home watching TV tonight, but
they’re at the state championship and fourth in the state,” Gar-Field
Coach Nikia Hovey said, her eyes welling. “Fourth in the state. And I couldn’t have asked for a better group of kids to work with.
“We just still have unfinished business. And I’m not going anywhere until we can take it to the top.”
In
the Class AA competition, Broad Run narrowly finished second behind
William Byrd, 266.5-265.0, marking the third consecutive season the
Spartans have walked away as the state runner-up.
And while that came as an unwelcome title to the team, Coach Melissa Wright said she could not have been more pleased.
“I
just told the girls that they left their heart on the mat,” she said.
“That’s all I could ask for from them. That’s the best we’ve ever done
it. I have 11 seniors this year and they ended the year the way they
needed to — the best that they possibly could.
“It was a
great competition, and that’s what cheerleading is about. It actually
makes me feel a lot better that it wasn’t by 20 or 30 points, because I
know that they got what they deserved and did the best that they
possibly could. Being one point away … that just shows me how great
they are.”
Potomac Falls also advanced to the final round of
Class AA competition, placing fifth with 244.5 points. In Class AAA,
Northern Region representatives Centreville and West Springfield also
competed in the preliminary round, but did not advance to the finals.
Email: awatts@digitalsports.com
Group AAA — Final Round
1. Stone Bridge 259.5
2. Fairfax 252.0
3. Bethel 247.0
4. Gar-Field 246.0
5. Cosby 242.5
Group AAA — Preliminary Round
1. Stone Bridge 249.5
2. Gar-Field 248.0
3. Fairfax 246.5
4. Cosby 244.5
5. Bethel 241.0
6. Western Branch 240.5
7. North Stafford 239.5
8. Franklin County 233.0
9. West Springfield 232.0
10. Princess Anne 231.5
T11. Centreville 231.0
T11. Deep Run 231.0
13. Hickory 228.5
14. Stafford 226.5
15. Hanover 224.5
16. J.R. Tucker 221.5
Group AA — Final Round
1. William Byrd 266.5
2. Broad Run 265.0
3. Brentsville 264.0
4. Tabb 248.5
5. Potomac Falls 244.5
Group AA — Preliminary Round
1. William Byrd 263.5
2. Brentsville 257.0
3. Broad Run 256.5
4. Tabb 252.5
5. Potomac Falls 233.5
6. Sherando 217.5
7. Brookville 201.0
8. Poquoson 199.0
T9. Spotswood 198.5
T9. Hidden Valley 198.5
11. Chancelor 195.5
12. New Kent 194.5
13. Cave Spring 186.5
14. Lord Botetourt 181.0
15. Tazewell 172.0
16. Pulaski county 163.5
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