Sports Editor
BANGOR — It has been 10 years in the making, but the Presque Isle cheering squad is finally heading back to the state Class B cheering competition.
Presque Isle earned the right to compete at states with a sensational performance Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium. The Wildcats finished third out of 14 teams. The top six squads earned the right to compete at States, Feb. 6 at the Augusta Civic Center.
The results from the Class B competition were: 1, Hermon, 140 points; 2, Ellsworth, 136.9; 3, Presque Isle, 133; 4, Caribou, 131.7; 5, Waterville, 130.9; 6, John Bapst, 126.7; 7, Old Town, 124.8; 8, Mt. Desert Island, 116.2; 9, Mattanawcook, 108.8; 10, Nokomis, 105.9; 11, Rockland, 104.2; 12, Mt. View, 103.4; 13, Bucksport, 100.2; and 14, Maine Central Institute, 93.8.
“I was getting so nervous when our names were not called for sixth place, and then fifth place,” Presque Isle coach Jolene Kinney said. “When the fourth-place team was announced, I thought ‘Oh, no. We didn’t make it.’”
So when the Wildcats were announced as the third-place finishers, the Presque Isle squad erupted into a celebration normally reserved for the overall champions.
“We are so excited,” said Naomi Donovan. “From our freshman year to now we have improved so much. We used to be dead last at these events, so we’re pretty happy with third. It’s the most exciting feeling ever. We were confident, but really nervous.”
“There isn’t one word to describe this feeling,” Jordyn Kinney added. “There is so much going on right now. I can’t believe how much we have improved. We know what it’s like to finish last. Now we know what it’s like to go to States. I think we have called back our reputation.”
“It’s surreal when you are out there,” Hughes said. “You don’t realize how good or bad you have done until you watch it back [on tape.] We knew we hit everything clean, but it was awesome to get the response from the crowd and our coach.”
Presque Isle nailed its energetic routine, receiving no deductions for the performance. The Wildcats have set small goals in each of their competitions over the past few weeks. Last week, the goal was to score 130 at the Penobscot Valley Conference championships. The Wildcats scored a 130.5. For the regional meet, the goal was to score a 133, which is exactly what Presque Isle scored in the regional meet.
“Last year we missed qualifying by 0.7 points,” coach Kinney said. “We have been working so hard. We just really wanted to make States.”
The number three seems to be a theme for Presque Isle as the Wildcats have come in third in every competition, with the exception of the Aroostook League championship which Presque Isle won.
“We came in third at Big East, third at PVCs and now third at regionals so I told the girls I was OK with us coming in third at States too,” Kinney said.
The Wildcats now have two weeks to get ready for the state competition, which will allow the squad to fine tune its routine. And after watching the competition at the regional competition, Kinney was already thinking of things to add to their routine.
“We need to add more tumbling,” she said. “Ellsworth and Hermon have a lot of tumblers and that is where we are not beating them. I have a few girls who are close to being ready, but they have to make that decision.”
Staff photo/Joseph Cyr
BEDLAM IN BANGOR — Members of the Presque Isle cheerleading squad celebrate after learning they had finished third in the regionals and qualified for the Feb. 6 Class B state championships, to be held at the Augusta Civic Center.
Staff photo/Joseph Cyr
TOPSY TURVY — Miranda Lovely flips upside down during a tumbling portion of the Wildcats cheering routine at Saturday’s Eastern Class B cheering championships. Presque Isle finished third.