The cheer squad struts to the floor to start their routine for regionals on Nov. 2 at Harford Community College. The team spent weeks working on their routine and were proud to get the chance to perform it at regionals. “Stepping on to the mat at regionals, I felt really nervous, but I was also very excited because I wanted to show the judges all the hard work we put into the routine,” junior Lyla Cho said. (Courtesy Candice Nsoga-Mahob)

After a dominant performance at regionals, the cheer team ended their competition season by bringing home the fourth-place award. The week prior, they scored 4th in counties using the same routine. 

The display allowed them to advance to regionals on Nov. 2 at Harford community college for their last competition of the season. 

Their regional routine earned a score of 100.1 out of the possible 120 points, with pyramid being their strongest category. The complex scoring criteria gives the team an in-depth analysis of each part of the routine. It takes into account numerous aspects of the routine, considering cheer and dance, stunts, pyramids for a total score of up to 120.

“For each category, there are two sub-categories: there’s difficulty and then there’s technique and execution,” senior captain Candice Nsoga-Mahob said. “A team could have super high difficulty in one of the stunts that they’re doing but don’t meet the execution requirements, they can still win because they threw a difficult stunt.”

The team has been perfecting their routine for weeks, but only four days before counties, one of the athletes suffered a concussion, setting the team back and requiring additional practice in the final days leading up to the competition.

“At those practices we were trying different things and working with different people, so we had a lot less time just drilling the routine over and over again this year because of it. I’m just happy that nobody hit the ground and the judges liked our routine,” Nsoga-Mahob said.

Despite the setback, the team persisted with the help of the teammates who stepped up and filled the position.

“We did the best we could despite all the stuff that was going on that week, but I’m really proud of our team,” junior Lyla Cho said. “There were people who stepped in and put in the effort to put us back where we were supposed to be.”

With the final competition concluded, the team has an opportunity to reflect on the season and everything they were able to overcome.

“I’m proud of all the hard work that we put through, we really overcame a lot,” senior captain Holly Sigel said. “I’m really proud of all the people on the team who stepped up this season to fill-in for others at the last minute. I’m super proud of those people for pushing through, doing their best and giving their all.”