The Scarborough High cheerleading team placed third at Saturday’s Western Maine Class A championship meet in Augusta. The Red Storm scored 144.1 points behind the winning team from Biddeford (154.6) and the runner-up squad from Marshwood (150.7).
“We changed almost 60 percent of our routine this week,” said Scarborough cheering coach Cheryl Hitchcock. The Red Storm placed second at the SMAA league championship the previous week and they had hoped for a higher finish at regional. But being a qualifier means they have an extra two weeks of practice to help them perfect their routine.
One thing the Red Storm will not change and the biggest thing the squad is known for is their amazing tumbling skills as they bounce over and across the performance mat. “We try to use our strength, which is our tumbling,” Hitchcock said about her team’s terrific tumbling.
Scarborough was last year’s state runner-up. The Red Storm’s last state title came in 1998 when they competed in the Class B ranks.
The top six teams from Saturday’s 15-team event qualified for the state championship meet to be held Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Bangor Auditorium. The other three qualifiers for the state meet are Gorham (127.8), Windham (125.5) and Thornton Academy (122.9).
South Portland also competed at Saturday’s regional and the Red Riots scored 104.8 points to finish 12th.
This will be Thornton’s first-ever trip to the cheering state championships. The Trojans have made strides in the last few years and that effort now has the team among the top 12 Class A squads in the state.
Gorham last won a state cheering title back in 2001 when they were a Class B school.
Mountain Valley won the Western Maine Class B regional crown on Saturday. The Falcons scored 142.9 points. Also qualifying for the Class B state competition are Oak Hill, Poland, Wells, Lake Region and Lisbon.
The Western Maine Class C teams that will move on to the Class C state championship include regional winner Dirigo along with Traip Academy, Monmouth Academy, St. Dominic, Jay and Old Orchard Beach.
Lewiston High has won three of the last four Class A state championships including last year’s title and the Blue Devils will be back to defend their crown.
The other Eastern Maine Class A schools to qualify for the state championship meet are Brewer. Edward Little, Lawrence, Old Town and Brunswick.
Qualifiers from Eastern Maine Class B include John Bapst, Hermon, Rockland, Ellsworth, Caribou and Foxcroft Academy.
An extra bonus for this year’s state competitors is that the top three finishers in each class will qualify for the second annual New England Spirit Championships on Saturday, March 17. That competition is set for the Whittemore Center at the University of New Hampshire.
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