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The Appleton West cheer team placed first in its division at a competition at Baraboo High School on Dec. 14. (Submitted photo)
Appleton West

Appleton West cheer team wins competition at Baraboo

plecker

For AppletonSportsPage.com

BARABOO – The Appleton West High School cheer team took to the competitive mat for the first time since 2017 at the Battle Under the Big Top at Baraboo High School last Saturday, and the team placed first in their division.

Plagued by illnesses and injuries, only seven of the 11 team members were able to compete. Under the direction of head coach Lisa Richards and assistant coach Mike Richards, and led by captains Madelynn Davis and Caitlin Holz, the team only finished reworking the routine late the night before.

Davis and Holz guided their other team members Elliana Clift, Katie Kelley, Hanna Micek, Lorelei Riley-Burbach, and Camila Tapia to not only first-place victory, but the team also hit zero. Hitting zero in cheer means that the team had no point deductions for falls, drops, missed stunts, jumps, tumbling, or other errors. The 2:12 minute routine featured four stunts, full team toe touches and pike jumps, a variety of tumbling, two separate pyramids, and culminated in a dance routine.

Appleton West Cheer next competes at the Lightning Bolt Explosion at Appleton North High School on Jan. 11.