Hardy County Cheer squads exuded enthusiasm with sensational stunts and amazing vocal strength pumping up the crowd in a four team competition at the Class A Potomac Valley Conference Cheer Championship held at Berkeley Springs last Saturday.
Tygarts Valley (176.4) repeated as the Class A PVC Cheer champion edging out the Lady Yellow Jackets (170.6) for another year by only 5.8 points, followed by Union (148.6) in third place and East Hardy took fourth overall (138.1).
Pendleton County missed the cheer competition due to injuries and Tucker County was serving a suspension of activity for[private] an attendance violation from last season.
The Lady Tigers took the floor as the opening act and showed great character and poise making impressive cheers and stunts.
Tygarts Valley stepped up to the floor and reminded the crowd of last season’s championship and made the point of continuing that reign, then displayed lifts and spins during the routine to prove they were ready for another title.
Tygarts Valley Cheer coach Melissa Walters won the Class A PVC Coach of the Year award.
“This is super exciting for our program. We were out of the PVC for several years and it is good to be back and to win two years in a row. It just makes all their hard work and dedication mean so much more. Our fly aways were very good,” Tygarts Valley Cheer coach Melissa Walters remarked.
“I am very honored and humbled to be selected, but I think all of the coaches here do an amazing job. It is pretty hard to pick just one coach.”
Moorefield Cheer took a lighthearted approach turning the cheer and routine into a social media blitz of entertainment theme which ended with a paparazzi photo session pose.
During the routine, the Lady Yellow Jackets incorporated texting and posting along with jumps such as a double toe touch and a pike.
Members of the Moorefield Cheer squad performing in Berkeley Springs were: Alaissa Martinez-Torro, Zanna Parker, Zeta Minor, Paige Van Meter, Grace Wratchford, Makenzie Keplinger, Hsu Lwin, Allissa Biser, Kaelynn Loften and Makenna Wright with alternate Veronica Van Meter.
The Lady Yellow Jackets introduced a brand new stunt to the state and made very intricate stunts and flips with excellent choreography which had the crowd clapping and shouting with approval.
“I’m very proud. They represented Moorefield well,” Moorefield Cheer coach Lori Evans noted.
Moorefield’s tech cheer lasted 35 seconds and the routine was two minutes and 23 seconds.
The music selection for the Lady Yellow Jackets was a wide range of culture: Lady Gaga (Paparazzi Carrie), Underwood (The Champion), Ellie Goulding (Lights), Eminem (Lose Yourself), Demi Lovato (Waiting For You), CheerSounds (No Limits) and a few other songs.
Moorefield’s thrilling stunts started with an up and over with a cartwheel out, followed by two pretty girl show and go with a single base show and go.
The second stunt had never been performed in West Virginia before and it was a single leg fold over followed by a fan kick which was executed very well for the first time by Moorefield.
The Lady Yellow Jackets did a seven with a 270 rotation for the third stunt into an arabesque (not a soup).
The fourth stunt was a connecting stunt with four stunts connecting and the fifth stunt was a liberty into a reverse matrix, pushed up to a scale. The final stunt was a scorpion then cradled, helicopter then backwards walk over.
Moorefield was close to winning the championship, but a 20-point safety violation in the last stunt was a huge factor.
East Hardy only had three cheerleaders competing, Caroline Edelen, Savannah Larson and Jenna Lilly, who were loud and enthusiastic keeping the crowd excited throughout the routine which was highlighted in the beginning by a T-lift and all three rolling on the floor to a brief smiling rest with hands under their chins receiving huge applause.
East Hardy’s cheer was 29.3 seconds and the open routine lasted two minutes and 28 seconds.
The Lady Cougars used a variety of music and the featured stunts were the T-lift, and Chair lift to thigh stand.
“I am extremely proud having three girls coming out having never competed before and they did really good. I liked our cheer. They were a little nervous, but they exceeded my expectations,” East Hardy Cheer coach Brittany Parker stated.
The 2019 Class A All-PVC Cheer squad members include: Moorefield’s Alexandria Wyman, East Hardy’s Caroline Edelen, Union’s Olivia Bombay and Tygarts Valley’s Abi Haddix and Rylee Conrad.[/private]