TATUM CHEER THIRD IN STATE! | Fort Worth is the site of 4A, 5A state cheer championships today

Tatum High School Cheer made their point on Thursday – and it was pretty clear.

The Eagles have one of the premier cheer programs in the state of Texas. And they’re proud of it.

Tatum, competing in the Class 3A, Division I level of the UIL’s State Spirit (cheer) Championships on Thursday in Fort Worth, is bringing home third place overall, in the state in 3A.

The state cheer championships continue today at the Fort Worth Convention Center, with teams from Class 4A and Class 5A. Among them: five teams from the ETBlitz.com coverage area – Carthage, Gilmer, Henderson, Kilgore, and Pine Tree.

For anyone who can’t go, catch the event streaming live online on the NFHS Network right here: 2026 UIL 4AD1 and 4AD2 Spirit Championship Prelims -1/16/2026 | Live & On Demand. Now, there is a subscription fee that’s charged immediately, then once a month, but you can cancel at any time.

Here is a list of competition times: 2026 UIL Order of Performance FINAL 1.12.26.xlsx. And here’s a link to the event’s program: Spirit — State Championships Program – University Interscholastic League (UIL).

Back to Tatum. The girls finished with a final score of 91.77, and only two schools were better: state champ Tuscola Jim Ned, with a 94.40, and Kirbyville, with a 92.10. Making up those scores were three categories: band chant, fight song and crowd leading. Tatum was third in band chant, with a 46.70. In fact, they actually had the same score as the second-place team, Corpus Christi London. Kirbyville narrowly won that event, with a 47.45.

The Eagles had a 62.90 in fight song, still a top-10 finish (10^th). Franklin actually had the best score in that category, a 65.35, and eventual state champ Jim Ned was third (64.50) and Kirbyville, eighth (63.30).

Tatum was fourth (82.85) in crowd-leading.

Tatum cheer is led by coaches / sponsors Tammy Holder and Kim Permenter.

Members of the team: seniors Winter Taylor, Shaelynn Hicks, Ryleigh Harvey, Libby Perry, Leah Fletcher, Koree Dudley, Jodryn Murphy and Aedyn Taczek. Tatum’s juniors are Lexie Ford, Jasmin Salas, Elyana Hill and Jamyah Butler. Sophomores are Ally Austyn Anthony, Taliyah Dixon, Jacey Yoder and Baylee Pruitt, and freshmen are Mary Cook, Logan Thorn, Kumora Chatman, Hannah Minor, KiZeyah Stephenson, Avery Fields-Polk, Addison Smith, Aaliyah Williams and Arleth Zarco.

Other teams from the ETBlitz coverage area also competed on Thursday. Beckville competed in Class 2A, Division I; Gladewater, Sabine and White Oak all joined Tatum in the 3A-DI competition; and Arp and Troup competed in 3A-DII.

Beckville was 22^nd in band chant (36.4), 20^th in fight song (58.25). No crowd leading scores were available for 2A-DI at press time.

Competing for Beckville Cheer were seniors Rebecca McDaniel and Aubrey Akin; juniors Kylie Smith, Kirsten Pierce, Alyssa Blank, Aaden King, Israel Phillips and Sharon Barboza; sophomores Landrie Dennard, Tyler Smith, Allie Kelley, Brilee Brumley and Tobi Tucker; and freshmen Chloe Darnell, Reese Weaver, Scarlett Johnson, Maddie Darnell, and Hailey Mauritzen. They’re coached by Lori Darnell and Jennifer Tucker.

White Oak and Sabine both finished in the top 20 in band chant: White Oak with a 41.90 score and Sabine, a score of 41.90, as well – the Roughnecks were listed as 19^th-place, and Sabine in 20^th. Gladewater had a 38.80 score.

Sabine was 22^nd in fight song (58.35); White Oak scored 56.2, and Gladewater, 50.70.

And in crowd leading, Sabine again was 20^th (72.35), White Oak 34^th (66.80) and Gladewater, 52^nd (62.00).

Gladewater Cheer is coached by Claudia Barnhill and Samantha King. Seniors this year for Gladewater cheer are Alayah Gordon, Peyton Hunter and Garrett Kegarise. Kymorah Gordon, Janiyah Strickland and Olivia Miller are juniors. Sophomores this year are Lainey Reynolds and Garrett Kegarise, and freshmen are Jay Starks, Ashlynn Tolbert, Victoria Flanagan, Ellicia Mendez, Makenzie Floyd, Daelyn Bradshaw, Kylie Beall and Tinsley Aldridge.

Seniors for Sabine are Kattlin Akers, Kaegan Boaze, Hollie Boone, Madisyn Davis, Landry Griffith, Reese Silvertooth and Avery Williams. Juniors are Brookelyn Henigan, Jayda Lewis, Sarah Roberts and Marlie Roper. Calli Clifford, Mia Kaufman, Addison Ketteman, Addie Moses, Ja’Miya Texada and Lainey Thurston are sophomores on the team, and Sydney Heffner, Lauren Love, and Rylie McNatt make up the freshmen class. Coaches are Jennifer Wood and Emily Barr.

And for White Oak: seniors Taylor Dark, Morgan Gee, Sophie Carter, Marlee Rhodes, Miley Nono, Addie Fritsche, and Addison Saccoccio; juniors Austyn Noll, Kendadei Giles, Kimber Brooks, Peyton Thompson, Teagan Holder and Sophie Fisher; sophomores Emma Fisher and Sydnee Bodovsky; and freshmen Molly Procell, Madalyn Hart, Kynleigh Jahr, Addison Altman and Abigail Clinkscales. They’re coached by Candace Noll and Mary McKnight.

In the 3A-DII competition, Troup was 33^rd in band chant (37.20), and Arp, 39^th (36.05). Arp was eighth in fight song (59.80) and Troup, 13^th (57.70). And in crowd leading, Troup was 24^th (64.55) and Arp, 46^th (55.40).

Troup cheer is coached by Mandy Lovelady, Brittany Anderson, Meagan Davenport and Angie Howard. Seniors for Troup this year are Kaylee Almazan, Addison Blanton, Tayla Davis, Audree Hinkle, Sophie Skinner and Kambry Nelson. Juniors are Adalyne Burks, Bailey Darden, Wylie Green, Nate Howell, Molleigh Nord, and Lili Priest. Sophomores are Olivia Anderson, Peyton Boyd, Elaine Howard, Mckenzie May, and Mariyah Pullins; and freshmen are Kari Cover, Dakota Davenport, Ayleigh Johnston, Kasyn McGee, and Molly Ward.

Arp is coached by Elizabeth Johnson. Seniors are Breanna Golden, Marissa Vanover, Lucy Hopson, Lilyana Hooper, and Jaycee McCollum; juniors Kelsie Cole, Kylee Maxwell, Heidi Bryand, and Emma Harris; sophomores Gracey Nichols, Cortlynn Quinalty, Kinley Schminkey, Addison Rhoades and Skylar Wallace; and freshmen Ashlyn Poe, Railey Ward, Bailey Graham and C’Nyah Walker.

ETBlitz.com will have a report on Friday’s competition, and photos by Jacob Lucas, after things wrap up tonight.