Cheer places 5th at state

Winner competitive cheer team took fifth place at the state meet Friday in Rapid City. This year the event was split up into pods due to COVID-19.

There were initially 21 teams slated to take the mat but due to COVID two teams did not compete. Coach Val Ewing is happy the team got to compete at state. Winner’s performance was in the afternoon and were the first team to perform.

Ewing says that is tough because you never know where the judges head is at. Ewing said the girls spent all week getting ready for state .“They knew what they had to do and as a coach I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” said the coach. She said the girls started out strong and the routines were going super well.

During the elite stunt, one stunt fell. This fall cost the team 10 points. Ewing explained the girls did a phenomenal job of continuing their routine after the fall. “That’s hard to do –to put a smile on your face, regain your composure and finish all the other components of the routine—not only did they nail the rest, they blew it out of the water. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said the coach. Ewing noted when you make a mistake in cheer there is not another period or quarter to come back from it.

That is what makes it a hard sport. Brennan Bachmann and Alani Old Lodge were named to the all-state cheer team. This honor is voted on by the S.D. Cheer coaches.