V-I-C-T-O-R-Y! | Area cheer teams head to UIL’s state competition

Kilgore High School’s cheerleaders are headed to the University Interscholastic League’s state spirit competition at the Fort Worth Convention Center this weekend (Photo courtesy of KILGORE HIGH SCHOOL FACEBOOK). Sabine, Tatum, Troup and White Oak are also all going to compete (see below).

Cheerleading at Texas high schools gets taken to another level this week at Fort Worth.

And cheer teams throughout the ETBlitz.com coverage area will be there, aiming to be the best.

Kilgore High School’s cheerleaders leave Thursday for the University Interscholastic League’s state spirit competition, to be contested over the next few days at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

The girls will leave from the cheer/dance building (near the Mitchell Field House on campus) about 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

They’ll compete Friday afternoon, around 2:30 p.m. Like Kilgore football, or any other sport, the KHS cheer team will compete against other Class 4A, Division I schools.

Sabine, Tatum, and White Oak are all in the competition, as well, all competing against each other in Class 3A, Division I, and Troup will compete in 3A-DII.

The event, like other sports, will be live-streamed online by the NFHS Network at www.nfhsnetwork.com/associations/uil/spirit. There is a fee ($12 a month) that can be cancelled later, but is paid up-front.

For anyone who might be considering going to Fort Worth, admission is free for ages five and under, and for everyone else, it’s $15 for each ticket. Here’s the link to purchase tickets: Upcoming Events | University Interscholastic League Box Office (hometownticketing.com).

The cheerleaders compete in various categories. Here they are, straight from the spirit competition portion of the UIL website:

• Band chant: emphasis on crowd effectiveness, appeal, technique and practicality; no stunts or tumbling permitted, although jumps and kicks are allowed. There’s a one-minute time limit on this portion – teams get introduced and take the floor, and that one-minute time limit begins with the first note of the music, or “organized movement.”
• Crowd leading: time begins with buzzer sound with the team already on the floor following the band chant. Performance should have an emphasis on crowd involvement – from the website: sideline leadership that encourages a crowd response. This also has a one-minute time limit that begins with a buzzer.
• Fight song: in addition to fight song motions and movement, up to three consecutive eight counts should be incorporated with stunts, jumps and/or tumbling. Again, a one-minute time limit is in place. According to guidelines, must use recorded marching band music for the band chant and fight song portions of the competition.

The goal is to perform well enough to get out of the qualifying rounds and into the state championships. Teams with the highest scores from qualifying rounds move on to the state competition, also this weekend.

In the state competition, the time limits for each portion of the competition increase from one minute to three. And there are point deductions for going over – a three-point deduction for going one to five seconds over; a five-point deduction for going six to 10 seconds over; and a seven-point deduction for more than 11 seconds over.

There are other opportunities for point deduction, as well, that the teams have to be wary of, such as putting a stunt in their performance not permitted by the UIL rules (a five-point deduction), excessive celebration (one point), or a team member stepping out of the performance area (half-point).

Of note: actually in the UIL guidelines, it states that the use of signs, poms, flags and megaphones are allowed and encouraged, but that the use of additional props isn’t permitted.

Plaques will be awarded for the top team score in each of the three categories, for each division. In the state championship round, the top three in each division will be recognized, and the top two receive trophies: silver for second place, gold for first. In addition, each cheer team member and coach will receive individual medals.

Judges are provided, of course, by the UIL, and there is no appeal, or protest on scoring or deductions. There are four types of judges at the competition: the head judge (responsible for overseeing the panel), the panel judge (responsible for scoring each team based on UIL score sheets), the safety judge (who, in addition to safety guideline responsibilities is also watching for time violations), and the quality judge.

Competing for coaches Dominic “Dee” Minor and Saidie Hamblen for Kilgore High’s cheer team are seniors Kenzington Eubanks, Bryonne Brooks, Gabbi Johns, Auniyeuh Matlock, Kaleigh Newlen, Nawny Sifford, Makayla Smith, and Brooklyn Wilkerson; juniors Carter Barton, Laney Edmondson, Kenslea Fickett, Mackinly Haynes, Ellie McKinney, Emma Propes, and Shelby Shelton; sophomores Mylie Bunton, Sole Hunt, Zoey Johnson, Carsyn McKinney, Addison Vanzandt, Sarah Wady, and Brittany Yzaguirre; and freshmen Emersyn Beets, Bailee Burns, Lauryn Hok, Maliyah Mosley, Kimora Thomas, and Vivi Wright.

Listed in the program as competing for Sabine: seniors Brenlee Byers, Ella Roberts, Saqqara Sample, and Carah Straight; juniors Addy Carney, Kera Reyne, Keelie Roper, Camryn Tatum, Brookelyn Tucker, and Dakota Wick; sophomores Kattlin Aker, Kaegan Boaze, Hollie Boone, Madisyn Davis, Landry Griffith, Reese Silvertooth, and Avery Williams; and freshmen Claire Burns, Brookelyn Henigan, Sarah Roberts, and Marlie Roper.

The Cardinals are coached by Kristi Boone, Emily Barr, and Jennifer Wood.

Competing for the Tatum Eagles are seniors Lily Luna, Yessica Hernandez, Mackenzie Turner; juniors Corrine Herrera, Lainee Cody, and Mikah Good; sophomores Aedyn Taczek, Ambree Cullen, Avery Goss, Jordyn Murphy, Leah Fletcher, Libby Perry, Ryleigh Harvey, Demi Harber, Shaelynn Hicks, and Winter Taylor; and freshmen Elyana Hill, Jamyah Butler, Jasmin Salas, Kailey Garcia, Lexie Ford, and Preslee Marcott.

Tatum’s cheer team is coached by Tammy Holder and Kim Permenter.

For White Oak, competing will be seniors Kynlee Bright, Addison Clinkscales, Kylie Dugger, Katie Hinch, Jessica Lowery, and Aubrey Saccoccio; juniors Londyn Bodovsky and Danica Herrera; sophomores Andee Bridges, Sophie Carter, Taylor Dark, Morgan Gee, and Marlee Rhodes; and freshmen Londyn Baker, Kimber Brooks; Kenadei Giles, Teagan Holder, Austyn Noll, Addison Saccoccio, and Peyton Thompson.

The Roughnecks’ team is coached by Stacey Hall, Dana Mizell, and Julie Weeks.

Troup’s team: seniors Trisha Dunnahoe, Savannah Howard, Katie Peterson and Alyssa White; juniors Emory Cover, Bailey Gibson, Madeline Howard, Briar Kirkland, Reese Lovelady, Kylie Ross and Payton Wells; sophomores Kaylee Almazan, Addison Blanton, and Audree Hinkle; and freshmen Adalyne Burks, Bailey Darden, Wylie Green, Cassie Murry, Reese Nichols, Molleigh Nord, Lili Priest, and Kylie Switzer. The Tigers’ coaches are Robin Parrish, Angie Howard, and Mandy Lovelady.

Best of luck to all of these teams from ETBlitz.com!

The Sabine High School cheerleaders will compete at state in the 3A-DI level. (Photo courtesy of SABINE HIGH SCHOOL CHEER FACEBOOK)

Tatum’s cheerleaders are already in Fort Worth and ready to compete. (Photo courtesy of TATUM CHEER-FACEBOOK)

Troup’s cheerleaders will be a part of the UIL state spirit competition’s Class 3A-DII division. (Photo courtesy of TROUP HIGH SCHOOL CHEER-FACEBOOK)

The White Oak Roughnecks cheerleaders, ready to compete at UIL State Spirit at 3A-DI. (Photo courtesy of WHITE OAK ISD-FACEBOOK)