{"id":7983,"date":"2025-10-02T10:13:59","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T15:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montoursville.k12.pa.us\/thearrowhead\/?p=7983"},"modified":"2025-10-02T10:13:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T15:13:59","slug":"young-squad-big-dreams-cheerleaders-aim-high-during-season-of-growth-and-potential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montoursville.k12.pa.us\/thearrowhead\/young-squad-big-dreams-cheerleaders-aim-high-during-season-of-growth-and-potential\/","title":{"rendered":"Young squad, big dreams: Cheerleaders aim high during season of growth and potential"},"content":{"rendered":"

When someone thinks about Friday nights in the fall, typically, three things come to mind – football, marching band, and cheerleading (plus maybe some delicious concession stand food). <\/span>This year, not only is the Warrior band made up of mostly underclassmen, but the varsity cheerleaders are too.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When the results were posted after tryouts in late March, the numbers showed that there would be eight experienced \u201cveterans\u201d on the team, with 12 freshmen and \u201cfirst years\u201d following them. In the recent months, all 20 girls have been hard at work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen so much growth from the beginning of the season in April to now, and it\u2019s insane,\u201d said junior cheerleader, Emilia Minotti. \u201cThe new girls work extremely hard and I appreciate them so much for their hard work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
The cheer squad poses for a picture with Varsity Spirit choreographer, Sarah Bartlett. They had just finished learning their Game Day competition routine at their second camp of the summer. Photo by Amber Dorman<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All of the girls keep a good balance of productivity and having fun while at practice. They boost each other up when something is not going right, and work together to learn all sorts of different cheers, dances, and competition routines.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think the season is going really great so far, all of the new girls are learning so much material and we are doing really good with stunts this year and I\u2019m really proud of everyone,\u201d said junior Brynn Connelly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trying something new can be very scary for some people, but this team has been absolutely crushing it. Because of the complicated stunts they perform, like switch-ups, arabesques, bajas and pyramids, every girl on the team has to be on their A-game at all times. <\/span><\/p>\n

Stunt-heavy practices can be very difficult physically and mentally, so it is quite impressive that a team of many younger and new girls has been so successful with these skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Flyers Bennett Handley, Brynn Connelly, and Reagan Johnson smile as they hit their pyramid. The first game of the season went smoothly and all of the girls had a lot of fun showing off all of their hard work. Photo by Mayor Steve Bagwell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe have been working on getting more solid stunts and everyone is working well together, which makes it a really fun environment,\u201d said junior Paige Rosenbaum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With so many first years on the team, a lot of bonding had to take place in order to eliminate all of the awkwardness of not really knowing each other yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Connelly threw a Sweet 16 in mid-August and decided it was the perfect opportunity to get to know the girls she would spend the rest of the season with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI invited them to my birthday party, and I talk to as many of the new\/younger girls as I possibly can because I really like all of them,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part of having a fresh team is that we all get along so well together. I\u2019ve bonded with the little girls by always talking to them and cracking some jokes,\u201d said Minotti.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The team poses with the gold ribbon they earned for their cheer evaluation at Trails End cheerleading camp. The second day at camp was hot and tough, but yet another gold ribbon to add to their collection boosted their spirits. Photo by Amber Dorman<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rosenbaum said she also enjoys spending time and making conversation with her \u201clittles\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0\u201cWe got to hang out during camp and team bonding activities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

After leaving all of the tension of a new team in the past, the girls opened up and began having fun with each other at choreography camps, the Little League World Series Grand Slam Parade, and of course, the football games.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosenbaum and freshman Emerson Metzger, both relish in the intense energy a cheerleader gets to experience every week.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cMy favorite part about Friday nights is the energy I receive from the band and student section,\u201d said Metzger.<\/span><\/p>\n

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To wrap up their busy summer, the Warrior Cheerleaders danced in the annual Little League World Series Grand Slam Parade. They walked 15 blocks through Williamsport, right behind the marching band, which played “Hot Hot Hot,” “Can’t Stop The Feeling,” and the “Montoursville Funky Shuffle.” Photo by Amber Dorman<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMy favorite part is screaming my head off when we get touchdowns and doing stunts,\u201d said Rosenbaum. \u201cI also love it when the football team, cheerleaders, and band sing\/play the alma mater together at the end of games.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Freshman cheerleader, Sophia Caputo, adores the elementary and middle school cheerleaders that she sees on Fridays, and it is one of her favorite parts of cheering on Fridays. <\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the team’s young, new girls the elementary and junior high cheerleaders always have so much fun watching and seeing what their future could be.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part about Friday nights is seeing the little girls in the stands doing the dances or cheers with us! They look up to us so much, and it\u2019s so nice to see them supporting us,\u201d said Caputo.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
From left to right: Freshman Aubree Carey, juniors Karli Lundy and Ashlynn Little, freshman Bennett Handley, and junior Emilia Minotti, sway back and forth as the Warrior Band plays the Montoursville alma mater. The end-of-game tradition brought the football players, cheerleaders, and band together at the end of a long Friday night. Photo by Mayor Steve Bagwell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The totally electrifying environment is one thing, but the champion attitudes that the boys hold on the football field no matter how the game turns out is what keeps the band and cheerleaders going.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone comes together [for the alma mater] and just has a good time, win or lose,\u201d said junior, Ashlynn Little.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosenbaum loves Warrior Rumble because it \u201chypes up the crowd,\u201d and freshman Gianna Desanto agrees that it is her all time favorite cheer the Warrior cheerleaders do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the difficult balance required between school and such a demanding sport like cheerleading, these freshmen and new first-year girls on the team have been killing it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The front row from left to right: Juniors Brynn Connelly, Karli Lundy, Ashlynn Little, Emilia Minotti, Paige Rosenbaum, and senior Lindsay Garber lead the band and student section in the Warrior Rumble. The fourth quarter crowd favorite is looked forward to at every game. Photo by Mayor Steve Bagwell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s only my first year on varsity and I already feel so fulfilled with how this season is going,\u201d said Caputo.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m living and breathing cheerleading, and through rough practices and bad days, we are all still a family and it\u2019s so worth it in the end,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m truly blessed to have these girls as my teammates, and I wouldn\u2019t trade it for anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Featured photo (at top): The Warrior Cheerleaders complete pushups following a Montoursville touchdown. Emerson Metzger, Hailey Wool, Aubree Carey, and Storie Holtzman ran the MAHS flags around the mat. Photo by Mayor Steve Bagwell<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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