Santa Margarita Cheerleaders Place 7th in National Contest

The Santa Margarita High School cheerleading squad on Sunday placed seventh among 96 teams competing in the annual National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Fla.

The girls headed into the finals hoping to place among the top five, and although they are disappointed with their finish, they said they are proud of their efforts and accomplishment.

“I think we all had the best performance we’ve ever dreamed of,” said senior Erin Stone, 17. “It was everything we’ve ever worked for. All the things we missed during the school year were worth it.”

The 16-member squad from the Rancho Santa Margarita school qualified for the national championships by winning a regional competition held at Loyola Marymount University in November.

Jodi Sweet, the squad’s coach, said the cheerleaders outdid themselves in representing Southern California in the finals. Their routine was flawless, and they brought a spark of California pizazz with them, she said.

And, perhaps, it was the team’s style that kept the girls from placing higher in the competition, Sweet added.

“They couldn’t have done any better, and that’s why they’re a little disappointed,” Sweet said. “Ours is a ‘show’ performance, which of course is the style in California, and based upon our evaluation, it’s probably not what the judges were looking for.”

The winners were a group from Ouachita Parish High School in Louisiana.

Nevertheless, the Santa Margarita High coach and her squad members said that they were proud of their accomplishment.