Murray, NEB- The Conestoga Cheer team competed at the Nebraska State Cheer and Dance Championships on Feb. 20. This was held at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island.

The cheerleaders started their day off at 4 a.m. to begin prepping for the big day. At 8:56 a.m. they competed their first routine in the non-tumbling category which consisted of a cheer, a chant, and a dance. The team placed second out of 14 teams and took home the runner-up trophy. Later in the day, they competed in the gameday category which is made up of a band chant, a situational cheer, a crowd leading cheer, and the school fight song. Out of 10 other teams in the C1 large squad division, the team took home first place with all of their hard work paying off in both routines. Each member received a first place medal and the team was able to take home the champion and runner-up trophies. Head coach, Summer Rieke, shares, “I am so happy with how the day went. They did so great and truly shined out on the state mat.”

Over the course of their season, the team has put in countless hours and have worked hard preparing both of their routines while cheering on the other activities. “The girls are always looking for ways to improve and push themselves to do better and better," Rieke states. “They show a lot of perseverance and grit.” Throughout the week of state a lot of the team had to push through illness which just proved their dedication for the team. The team also improved in many different areas as the year progressed. They have learned and applied a variety of new stunt skills. Their sharpness and motion technique was elevated throughout the season, which showed at state. The cheerleaders have also worked hard to come together and lean on one another to come up with new ideas and push each other.

For the future, the team is always looking for ways to grow. Each season they make team goals and push themselves to incorporate new skills. “One goal going into the season that I have for the team is to improve on jump technique and also learn new stunts and pyramid work," Rieke adds. “I would also like to incorporate tumbling into our sideline cheer.” By focusing on these areas, the team hopes to grow stronger, become more connected, and ready to improve the future of the team.

“I am so proud of how much pride the girls have in the cheer program and that helps with the success of the program,” Rieke exclaims.