A group of high school girls from Yuma finished in the Top 5 in a national cheerleading competition in California.
Yuma Union High School District officials announced that the Gila Ridge High School spiritline competition team took fifth place in the 2024 USA spirit nationals in Anaheim, Calif. on Feb. 18.
YUHSD officials said the Hawks advanced to the final round among six teams in the crowd-leader division.
In a released statement, GRHS point flyer Emily Firasek said “Making it to finals felt amazing because I was so proud of all of us and how much work and time we put into the routine to go perform on the Nationals mat and it really made it worth it. Nationals was a lot because it was extremely nerve wracking and it kept me up so many nights stressing about it but right before we got on the mat I realized it was going to be okay because of my team.”
Officials said the team celebrated at Disneyland before returning home. The team will have a banquet on March 8.
Gila Ridge spiritline coach Jenae Bailey gave her team their flowers.
“I am extremely proud of these girls, our score improved and we weren’t last so to me that’s a win,” Bailey said. “Every step we’ve taken has been in the right direction, moving us one spot up at a time.”
YUHSD officials said the Hawks spiritline team earned first place at the USA Virtual Spirit Regionals this past December. They were also fifth in the state at the Arizona Cheer and Pom tournament in the 2022-23 season and won the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) show cheer state championship in 2021.
