BHS Captures Victory at George Washington Cheer Invitational; Ready for Saturday's Regionals in Martinsburg
By Julie Perine on November 05, 2019
Saturday, Bridgeport High School took first place at the George Washington Cheer Invitational held at GW High School in Charleston.
The Lady Indians delivered a powerful performance, topping five West Virginia Class AAA teams, four AA teams and three A teams.
Saturday’s experience gave the squad - which includes six first-time freshman members – some valuable performance experience.
Taking the victory was exciting and has pumped the girls up for this coming Saturday’s WVSSAC Class AA, Region II cheer competition to be held at Martinsburg High School.
"I'm so proud of us for what we did at George Washington and I believe that this experience in front of a crowd is going to keep us calm when it counts," said senior cheerleader Miranda Kress. "It was a good warm-up to the season, but we still need to come to regionals with the same fire we did at GW - and I know we will."
Both the winner and runner-up will advance to the state cheer championships, slated for Sat., Dec. 7 at Marshall University.
Last year, the Tribe nabbed the regional win with rival Robert C. Byrd capturing the runner-up spot. Both teams competed on the state level at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center. Winfield captured the Class AA victory and RCB - defending 2017 championship team - earned runner-up position.
BHS also won the title at the Big 10 cheer competition held at Buckhannon-Upshur.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend the Lady Indians’ regional dress rehearsal 6 p.m. Wednesday at he BHS gymnasium. The girls will run through their competition routine a couple times. Community support is very important to the team, said Coach Natalie Hathaway, who thanks community members in advance for their encouragement.
Members of the BHS cheer team are seniors Miranda Kress, Addison Boggs and Alyson Gibson; sophomores Lilly Strait, Emilia Underwood, Lillian Iaquinta, Gyllian Wagner, Lauran Johnston, Jade Nguyen and Rylee Mullins and freshmen Andie McCall, Abigail Davis, Lexi Wilkinson, Brynna Greathouse, Sally Hamrick and Abigail Clifton. Janet Hathaway serves as assistant coach for the Tribe and Ryan DeMary is choreographer.
Editor's Note: Pictured right is Miranda Kress. Photo is by Ben Queen Photography. More photo coverage of the Lady Indians' George Washington Invitational victory is forthcoming.
