DENVER – After a semester of hard work, the CHSAA spirit championships wrapped up, showcasing the state’s top teams in six categories.
Mancos, Dolores and Montezuma-Cortez High School competed at the Denver Coliseum – Mancos in Co-Ed and Dolores and Montezuma-Cortez in Cheer – each aiming for strong results.
The Bluejays, led by a senior-heavy squad, entered confident after winning their region and impressing at the Mancos Cheer Showcase earlier in the week.
On Friday afternoon, head coach Megan Daves’ team posted an impressive score of 69.35 – a mark that would have secured a top-three finish in the 2A/3A Co-Ed division and a finals berth. But deductions lowered the total to 63.35, placing Mancos fifth and just outside the finals.
Earlier that morning, Dolores competed in the 2A Cheer division. Head coach Melissa Herrera’s squad scored 51.95, good for sixth place and three spots better than last year. For half the team, it was a first state appearance. With no seniors, the Bears’ outlook continues to rise.
Montezuma-Cortez High School also performed Friday morning, earning 58.05 under head coach Emily Baumgartner. Like Dolores, the Panthers featured no seniors and many newcomers, finishing 10th in 3A Cheer.
“We had to redo our routine, but the girls have been hitting it,” said Baumgartner, noting her team’s on-the-fly adjustments since learning the routine in August.
“Just getting the state experience gives our girls a reminder of why we push ourselves so hard,” added Baumgartner.
Area programs are trending upward, aiming for results reminiscent of Dove Creek’s past state titles. “It’s about consistency, from the coaches, from the girls – that and having youth and middle school programs is what’s leading this sport into growing,” Baumgartner said of cheerleading’s growth in the Four Corners.
CHSAA’s spirit championships feature six categories – Cheer, Game Day, Co-Ed, Pom, Jazz and Hip-Hop – across four classifications at the Denver Coliseum, held Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 11-13.
