Teams from Bayfield High School and Durango High School competed at the state spirit championships last Thursday through Sunday at the Denver Coliseum.
After finishing second last year in the 2A/3A Co-Ed Cheer division, the Wolverines competed in the 3A Cheer division this season and finished fifth out of 14 teams. The Wolverines had a clean preliminary routine with no deductions and scored a 72.5, finishing just 0.75 points behind James Irwin for the final spot in the finals.
Woodland Park won the 3A Cheer title with an 81.05 score in the finals, followed by James Irwin (77.2), University (75.85) and Strasburg (70).
Montezuma-Cortez, meanwhile, placed eighth with a 67.55 and Pagosa Springs finished 13th after a 14-point deduction with a 50.35.
Bayfield’s team included Sarah Evans, Shayden French, Carden Gillespie, Karidyn Grover, Catherine Ludwig, Ella Martin, Aubrey Mitzlaff, Aleaha Ribera and Emma Vaughn. French is a senior, Mitzlaff is a junior and the rest of the team are underclassmen.
In the Class 4A Cheer competition, Durango finished 15th out of 27 teams with a 68.7 team score after a two-point deduction. Erie won its fifth-straight title with a 93.95, finishing over six points ahead of second-place Holy Family (88.6). Grand Junction finished third with an 85.15 and Montrose placed 26th (52.2).
Durango’s dance team also competed in the jazz competition at the spirit championships. After a 10-point deduction, however the Demons ended up in eighth place with a 59.925.
Cherokee Trail nipped Mountain Vista for the jazz title, 90.375 to 89.325.
Durango’s cheer team included Wrigley Ham, Olivia Gomez, Kyndle Boren, Luci Rodriguez, Lola Handley, Jocilen Thompson, Dillon Reid, Laura McKelvey, Jeanne Campbell, Aubrey Imming, Alexia Mummery, Nora Sheppard, Jorja Thompson, G Koutz, Ellie Young, Evie Morris, Violet Isgar, Juliana McKown, Sadie Clance, Haylen McMillion and Charly Mooney. Ham and McMillion are the team’s lone seniors.
The DHS dance team included Bella Austin, Harvest Dobbins, Jaden Rambo, Jordann Long, Kayla Maycock, Lola Poestschke, Lou McKinnie, Lyla Lake, Megan Downey, Rachel Miner, Rose Reiter, Sofi Sieger, Taryn Valverde and Trisha Killins.
