When the Medway Varsity Cheerleading team took the mat at the MSAA State Championship, we did not put out the performance that we intended. We made multiple mistakes, and instead of leaving as state champs, we left as the runner-up to Wilmington High School.
While we were still proud of our placement, our team wanted more.
We knew we would have our chance at redemption on Saturday, March 22, 2025, when we would compete at the New England Spirit Championship at Worcester State University. But first we had to come to terms with what happened at the State Championship.
When we returned to the gym to discuss the performance, our head coach, Adrienne Hunter, asked us to decide on an end goal for the New England Championship. Of course, it was to win, but more importantly, our team decided we wanted an emotional performance. We wanted a performance that would unite us as an entire team, and that we could point to and say, “That was worth the long nights, tiring practices, and physical pain.”
We practiced almost every day for two weeks, pushing through tired and sick bodies to reach our goal. Then the big day arrived. At the same venue where we had placed second at the state championship, we were now facing 11 other Division 3 teams from throughout New England, including Ponagansett, RI, Ansonia, CT, and our new rivals from Wilmington, MA.
As a team, we wanted to redeem ourselves and prove to the entire region that we still were THAT team — the team to beat. People on social media had underestimated us, predicting that Wilmington would place first over Medway. This angered us and made us want the title even more. When we arrived at the warm-up room, all 15 of us were optimistic, confident, and mentally and physically prepared. Our coaches, Adrienne, Michael, Steph, and Eric, continued to motivate us, reminding us that we’ve got this and how amazing we are. We felt the spark in everyone.
When we began our warm-up, we had a sense the rest of the day would go well. Our team was focused and precise, never missing a queue and radiating confidence. This is what our end goal had been since our conversation two weeks prior, an emotional and sentimental day. After the warm-up, we made our way to the mat for the final performance. After numerous hugs and handshakes, it was time.
As the announcer called our team onto the mat, we all took a deep breath and had trust in one another to perfect this routine. The music started, and it was all in from there. Every stunt that had fallen two weeks before was going perfectly. As we performed we could see our coaches jumping and screaming with joy.
As the music continued, the routine just kept getting better and better. The crowd was loud; all you could hear was cheering, skill after skill. When we hit our ending pose and the music ended, the crowd went wild. We were all crying tears of joy, and we finally overcame the obstacle lingering in our minds for two weeks. As we came off the mat, multiple cheerleaders, coaches, and parents from different teams around the region came over to congratulate us, telling us how amazing we were. While we were confident, we still had our doubts.
We anxiously waited for the emcee to say it was time to announce the Division 3 placements. Sitting in a circle, we all held hands and crossed our feet right over left, hoping everything would work in our favor. Before announcing the top three teams, the emcee called each of the runner ups. All 15 of us immediately felt that knot in our stomachs, hoping we would be the final name announced.
He called third place, and it was Ponagannsett, RI. Relief washed over us for a moment before realizing that it was now Wilmington or us taking second. As the suspenseful music played, we embraced each other and prayed that our four months of hard work would pay off. “And in second place … Wilmington High School,” the announcer boomed into the microphone.
We had done it again!
Winning first place and scoring the highest out of all the New England Cheer Championship teams was an incredible experience and a testament to all our hard work. The energy, teamwork, and dedication paid off, and it was amazing to watch it all come together. It’s a moment all 15 of us will never forget!
