Sean C. Morgan
They have no seniors – zero – but the Sweet Home cheer program once again is strong and competitive, defeating the two teams Coach Amber Rosa considers their toughest competition, Gladstone and Klamath Union, in their first test of the season over the weekend at Churchill High School in Eugene.
“The girls really pulled it out,” said Coach Amber Rosa. “It was unexpected. They worked really hard. I’m hoping it will give them a little bit of an itch to win, and the confidence to know they can.”
Second place was Klamath Union, and third was North Bend. Gladstone finished fourth.
“We actually beat everyone by quite a bit,” Rosa said.
The junior cheer program, which includes fifth through eighth grade, finished second behind Westview and ahead of Roseburg.
Graduating 10 seniors, the team continued forward this year with no seniors, Rosa said. The Huskies return just six cheerleaders, including four juniors, Ivy Weidner, Ilima Ka’auwai-Walker, Erin Bauer and Shania Baxter, and two sophomores, Britney Zook and Ashley Bailey.
“It’s kind of a clean slate a little bit,” Rosa said. Several new cheerleaders came up from the junior program.
“There’s tons of talent there,” Rosa said. “It needs to be matured. As far as difficulty, we’re pretty much at the same level as we were before but not with the same ease.”
That means things have been a little more difficult to accomplish, she said, in a sport where execution is key.
“When it’s good, it’s really, really good,” Rosa said. “When it’s not, it’s hard. I think, considering how young they are that they will hold their own.”
She doesn’t think Sweet Home will drop out of the top three, she said. “I think they could absolutely win this year depending on what everyone’s able to put in between now and state.”
With no seniors, the team has no captains, Rosa said. “The four juniors that are still here have kind of split those responsibilities.”
They’re calling cheers at games and helping coaches community with the team, she said.
The team lost a lot of skills and tucks (tumbling skills), but that doesn’t mean it cannot make up the points elsewhere, Rosa said. The girls are really good dancers and jumpers.
Klamath Union is in a similar position as Sweet Home, Rosa said, but the program knows how to rebuild. Gladstone has been building up to this year and is loaded with experienced seniors. North Marion took second last year and could also be a threat this year, and South Umpqua can sometimes bring a threat. A lot of new schools are going out this year too.
The Huskies theme is “Time,” Rosa said. That’s a nod to last year’s fourth-place finish at state. The Huskies beat every team on points but faced a 10-second penalty over technical difficulties with the music. The music didn’t begin right away when the play button was pushed on the iPod, and the routine went over the limit by 8 seconds,. The Huskies missed the top trophy because of “time.”
Songs include Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time,” Bill Medley’s “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” and Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five.”
The routine is more showy in the transitions, Rosa said, things that look good visually but aren’t too difficult. It retains the same level of difficulty as last year.
“They’re really nice and coachable,” Rosa said. They listen, and they want to improve. They’ve stepped into some big responsibilities at a young age, and some of the younger cheerleaders are in critical spots this year.
“They’ve done a really good job,” Rosa said.
The Huskies varsity cheer team includes juniors Erin Bauer, third year; Jackie Cheshire, first year; Shania Baxter, third year; Ivy Weidner, third year; and Ilima Ka’auwai-Walker, third year.
Sophomores include Hannah Graham, first year; Julee Cavazos, first year; Britney Zook, second year; Ashley Bailey, second year; Amber Walton, first year; and Jade Smith, first year.
Freshmen are Hailey Wolfe, Nicole Grady, Halley Autry, Shahalie Erickson nd Shayla Hunsaker.