KILGORE REACHES STATE CHEER FINALS | Day two wrap-up from UIL championships

Cheer teams from the Class 4A programs in the ETBlitz.com area took the floor at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Friday on the biggest possible stage: the University Interscholastic League’s Spirit / Cheer State Championships.

Kilgore made it to the finals in 4A, Division I, whose final scores weren’t posted until well into the night, early morning hours Saturday.

KHS finished 16^th overall in 4A-DI, scoring 78.03 points overall – Kilgore had no deductions and gave a fantastic performance.

Thousands of high school cheer programs across the state were competing in the event, which was to continue Saturday with schools in the 6A classification.

Celina won the 4A-DI category, an overall score of 94.70. It was Celina’s fourth title since 2022 – Celina won three state cheer titles in a row from 2022-24.

No other program that’s really considered to be “East Texas” finished in the top 20 – if you count Mabank as an “East Texas” school, Panthers Cheer was sixth (85.10).

KHS, led by coaches Saidie Hamblen and Gracie Clower, finished with a 68.25 score in crowd leading, a score of 58.55 in fight song, and 41.55 in band chant. Celina finished first in fight song and crowd leading, then had a third-place finish in band chant.

Competing for Kilgore High cheer were seniors Lydiah Allison, Sole Hunt, Adalynn Martinez, Addison VanZandt, Carsyn McKinney, Zoey Johnson, and Ava Henry; juniors Kailynn Bullock, Aspen Gaudet, Maegan Harvey, Lauryn Hok, Vivienne Wright, Emersyn Beets, and Stormy Reyes; sophomores Allie Hendrix, Leiken Murphy, Camila Vaenzuela, and Brooklyn Vercher; and freshmen Savannah Herring, Adeline McKinney, Jayci Moore, Anna Gillen-Hall, Ellie Copeland, and Kerrington Bell.

Henderson and Pine Tree also competed on the 4A-DI level. Both teams had a score of 37.85 in band chant; Pine Tree scored 51.35 in fight song, and Henderson, 51.20; and in crowd leading, Pine Tree finished with a 65.10, Henderson with a 58.85 score.

Pine Tree cheer seniors are Jasmine Byrd, Zori Clark, Hannah Cranford, Desiree Ellis, Raeleigh Normandin, and Bailey Robles. Juniors are Debany Cuevas, I’Monyae Black, Demi Fults, Journii Hopkins, and Chloe Steelman. Sophomores are Mya Blaylock, Bailey DeHart, Madisyn Florence, Elizabeth Grimes, Jazyah Jackson, Natalyah Neal, Bristol Sessions, Clara Tesser, and Addyson Schave, and freshmen are Victoria Alvarez, Lily Dodson, Brooklyn Nash, Aubrey Porterfield, Blair Schroeder, Auzlyn Willis, and Adilyn Upson.

Seniors for the Henderson Lions are Elizabeth Byrd, Preslie Costlow, Olivia Crockett, and Anna Kate Mansinger. Juniors are Brooklynn Burks, Josephine Erwert, Greenlee Goodwin, Kyla Lewis, Trinity Mapps and Jenna Poole. Sophomores are Kate Bromley, Payten Evans, Danielle Herring, Sofia Howard, Peyton Jackson, Karis Lee, Nallely Lopez, and Stella Rains, and the freshmen are Taylor Higginbotham, Kloe Lingo, Charlotte McGinnis, and Emmi Sartain. Henderson is coached by Catie Rainwater, Bethany McClure, and Caprice Stoute.

Also, Gilmer and Carthage cheer teams competed in 4A, Division II. Unfortunately, neither of them made the finals. Lago Vista, with an overall score of 94.47, won the 4A-DII state title, and Pleasant Grove was second (90.23).

Carthage was 35^th in band chant (38.45), 23^rd in fight song (54.45) and 45^th in crowd leading (67.20).

Gilmer was 17^th in crowd leading 79.20, eighth in fight song (61.55), and 47^th in band chant (35.85).

Gilmer High School cheer was represented by seniors Hannah Bockmon, Gracelyn Head, Elie Richins, Jayna Rucker, and Karsyn Turnbow; juniors Seth Thomas, Laurel Lee, Lexi Hancock, Laynee Hall, Sophia Dean, Shelby Cominsky and Brylee Bowman; sophomores Ashlie Acy, Adalynne Dodd, Karsyn Pate, Blaklee Riley, Millie Sanchez and Kaelyn Williams; and freshmen Paisley Aiken, Isabella Escareno, Brentley Jones, and Cameron Nation. Gilmer’s coaches are Carly Riley and Serina Head.

And for Carthage, seniors are Lexi Ladymon and Madison Powell. Juniors are Alivia Griffin, Kirsten Haggerty, Kilee Johnson, Caroline Lawrence, Reegan Robinson, Ava Kate Shull, Jaleah Williams and Hudsyn Wulfe. Sophomores are Chloe Borseth, Alivia Cheshire, Kylie Dunn, Zoe Gomez, Ally Sells, and Gracie Stephens, and freshmen are Addi Faith Bagley, Claire Carter, Adaline Cole, Mikayla Dean, Rilee Harvey, and Kennedy Ross. Coaching Carthage is Tina Marion.

In case you missed it, the 2A and 3A competitions were Thursday, and Tatum finished third overall in the state in 3A, Division I.

Here’s our recap of Thursday at the UIL State Spirit Championships: TATUM CHEER THIRD IN STATE! | Fort Worth is the site of 4A, 5A state cheer championships today.