Swainsboro High School cheerleaders recently advanced from sectionals as the fifth team of the top 16 AA teams in the state and will compete for state finals Monday, Feb. 15, in Macon.
On Saturday, Feb. 6, cheer coach Luci Metz-McNeely stated, “Today was surreal. It was one of those moments that we talk about happening but hope never do. We had Region/Sectionals competition cheerleading today in Vidalia. We took the mat and had a great beginning, and we get through running tumbling and one of the main fliers gets injured to the point where she cannot put any weight on her ankle. The head judge stops the routine. In less than seven minutes, we had to regroup and mark a primary stunt and move two fliers around to make the pyramid work. The flyer on the right side of the pyramid had to perform a switch up, high low tick tock, back flip to prone, inversion to lib and a ball up with only one run through.... stuff that she had never done before and she did amazing! And I’m so glad our injured flyer was able to watch from the side to see her team pull together and perform as an army of one. We advanced to state finals and get another week to perfect everything! They weren’t perfect but they pulled together in a way that no other team I have ever coached has. I see this happen in All-Stars and at state every year, but never did I think it would happen to my team! Nothing short of a miracle!”
The SHS competition cheer squad is coached by Luci McNeely, Bob McNeely, Whitney Brown and Bekkah Warnock. High school participants of the SHS competition cheer squad include Allie Hendrix, Analise Newsome, Ayla Thompson, Brooke Hannah, Caitlyn Fleming, Caroline Mason, Etta Key, Hayleigh Jordan, Jada O’Quinn, Jaylee Justice, Kai’Yana Henderson, Lawren Wadley, Madison Hancock, Madison Williford, Melanie Purcell, Malashia Lockett, Maggie Palmer, Raegan Thompson, RayShona Hooks, Treazure Franklin, Sarah Beasley and Victoria McRee.
The girls will take the mat with competition beginning at 4 p.m. this Monday. Stay tuned for more information to come!
