Page 14 - Newsletter_Spring_2019

More Shire Success! Part 3

Cheerleaders Earn a Trip to State Championships

is story is based on articles by Joe Cyr ’89, Houlton Pioneer Times
and Ernie Clark and Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News. e contents are
reprinted with permission.

Houlton Cheerleaders fi nish sixth in states

e Houlton cheering squad turned in yet another solid
performance at the Class C state championships February
9th at the Augusta Civic Center.
e Shires placed sixth out of 12 squads in the event with a
score of 65.6. at score is up from Houlton’s 65.4 in the
regional competition.
“ e girls worked hard over the past two weeks to get ready
for the state cheering competition,” said Houlton co-coach
Renae Foley. “ ey set goals for themselves as we did for
them.”
“ ey (the team) met those goals on Saturday,” added co- Houlton’s Morgan Harris ‘21 flies through the air at the Class C North
championship at the Cross Insurance Center in January. (photo
coach Julie Dunn ‘75. “ ey hit their stunts and performed courtesy of Joseph Cyr ’89, Houlton Pioneer Times)
a solid, sharp routine. We could not have been any more
proud of them and their performance.”
Lisbon High School emerged as the top squad of the Class C cheering competition, capturing its third state championship
in the last fi ve years. e Greyhounds scored 72.6 points to defeat South region runner-up Sacopee Valley of South Hiram,
which placed second with 71.1 points.
Rounding out the top fi ve were defending state champion and 2019 North region title winner Central of Corinth (68.6),
North runner-up Sumner of East Sullivan (68.2) and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln (67.5).
Also competing at states were Houlton (65.6), Monmouth Academy (58.3), Bucksport (55.9), Calais (53.7), Madison-
Carrabec (52.6), Wiscasset (49.9) and Dirigo of Dixfi eld (40.50).
e Shires earned their berth in the state championship with their 3rd place fi nish in the Class C North competition scoring
65.4 points behind North champ Central of Corinth with 73.1 points and Sumner with 71.2 points. Houlton was followed
closely by Mattanawcook Academy with 65.3 points.

Senior Tessa Solomon, who switched from basketball to cheering this year, said competing for the fi rst time at a regionals was
an incredible experience.
“It was the best,” Solomon said. “Everyone has been so supportive of me this year and I just had a really great time.

e Shires routine evolved over the weeks leading up to regionals to up the “wow” factor, according to Solomon.
“We got comfortable with the routine very early, so after that fi rst competition (the Aroostook League), we realized we had to
add some stuff . It’s always building.”

Senior Taylor Cowan, who has been with the squad all four years, said she was excited to be heading back to the state meet
again this season.
“We were really happy with our routine,” Cowan said. “We hit things that did not hit at our last competition. And we nailed
all the improvements we made last week. It’s so much more exciting competing down here (in Bangor). e adrenaline rush is
so much higher.”
Coach Julie Dunn said the Shires nailed a personal goal she had for the club.
“I really wanted us to make the top three,” Dunn said. “We had to put in a whole new pyramid and change up some things.
ese next two weeks are the best and the worst, because now we will be nit-picking every little detail trying to clean things
up.”
e roster for the 2018-2019 Shiretowners is Taylor Cowan’19, Brittany Fitzpatrick ’19, Makenzie Fitzpatrick ’19, Hannah
Pierce ’19, Kate Smith ’19, Tessa Solomon ’19, Isabelle Cosby ’20, Lexi Crouse ’20, Paige Ford ’20, Emily Shaw ’20,
Emmalyne Drake ’21, Hannah Foster ’21, Morgan Harris ’21, Kalle Neureuther ’21, Sidney Peabody ’21, Eden Davis ’22 and
Hailey Hipsley ’22. Assisting Dunn and Foley is Maggie Russell ‘13. Alyssa Drake ’21 is the team’s manager.

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