Story posted Friday, February 5, 2010
State Cheerleading Finals Preview
By DWIGHT ESAU Journal Sports
Will Elk Grove's four-year coed team dynasty continue this year at the IHSA's cheerleading competition state finals?
Will Conant continue to dominate in the large-team category?
How will "small-school" and Cinderella St. Viator, in its first state finals, do as it competes with "big school" teams?
A total of 10 Journal-area teams will be at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington this weekend for the fifth annual cheerleading championships. All area schools compete in the large-team or coed divisions,
Biggest splash in the local sectionals last week was the emergence of St. Viator, a school of about 1,000 students into the "large-team" competition. In cheerleading, qualification for state is based on a team's size, not on the school's enrollment.
St. Viator posted the second highest score (88.37) in the large team category at the Grayslake North sectional for its first trip to the state finals. Coach of the Lion team is Chrissie Palumbo. (See related story).
Other large team qualifiers are Conant (which placed fourth in state last year under coach Dana Musinski), Rolling Meadows, Maine South, Loyola, and Fremd. Conant could be poised for a big title run this year because the Cougars posted the top sectional score statewide in their division this year, a 95.53.
Representing the area in the coed team division are four-time defending state champion Elk Grove, Palatine, and Wheeling.
Elk Grove is the coed division's only state champion, winning all four previous state meets. They posted a score of 90.67 to lead coed team qualifiers from Grayslake North. They are coached by Jeffrey Siegel. Palatine was second in the sectional behind coach Adrienne Stackwell. The Pirates were fourth in the state a year ago. Their score was 85.30, almost five points below Elk Grove's. Wheeling grabbed the fifth and final qualifying coed spot with an 81.33 sectional score. The Wildcats are coached by Samantha Szopinski.
Maine South, coached by Pati Coy, had a good season last year but didn't make it to state.
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