The Girls Game Day Cheer team is headed to state on December 4 after scoring first place at their final competition, marking one of their strongest performances of the season. Athletes say the win reflects months of hard work and teamwork, and many describe the moment as both exciting and surreal. For the State competition, the team is channeled that momentum into confidence, shaking the few nerves they had lingering.

“When I realized we beat Model, also known as our rivals, that was one of the happiest cheer memories for me. The competition lasted all day. It was just really tiring because we had competed in the morning, then had to stay in a classroom for two hours as a team, and then got to compete again. So it was good, but it was just really stressful,” sophomore Ari Waters recalled.

Between the long hours and back-to-back performances, the team agreed that competition days demand both stamina and focus. While Waters remembered the stress of the schedule, others emphasized the intense routines that start before the sun even comes up.

“Unfortunately, we wake up early and then do makeup, like heavy base makeup, and then wear the cheer clothes, warm up and get on over and then we get on the stage,” junior Emma Trieu said. “It depends on how long we compete every day, but usually it’s just the first half of the day and then finish the next.”

With the early mornings and high pressure performances, the team pushed through each routine with determination. After the long hours and intense prep Trieu described, the payoff became clear once the scores were announced.

“It was just a lot of excitement after we got the trophy and the medals. It was so tiring but truly worth it. We had scored up to 97 points combining all the categories, so we already had a feeling we were going to win,” sophomore Brynn Boswell said.

This sense of confidence only pushed the team’s energy higher as the day went on. Even with the long hours and pressure, the athletes stayed locked in, ready to finish strong.

“Beating Model has to be one my favorite memories and I’m happy to have made it to state my senior year. Hopefully we win state,” senior Grace Guo said before heading to the state competition. “The competition started around nine A.M., and ended at four P.M. Usually I’m very tired at long competitions like this but everything was on the line so I gave it my all.”