Their mantra is “Perfection Wears Red” and the 2018-19 Bridgeport High School cheerleaders are proving they take the phrase to heart.

Saturday, Nov. 2, the Lady Indians captured the WVSSAC Region II, Class AA cheer championship; the Tribe’s first regional title since 2013. That win sends the team to Charleston Dec. 8 for the Class AA state championship.

 

Wednesday, Nov. 7, the team earned a second victory; placing first in a field of 13 teams in the Big Ten Conference.

 

Coach Natalie Hathaway said Wednesday’s performance of technical cheer and dance, featuring tumbling and stunting, was even better than Saturday’s.

 

“They did really well at regionals. They had a lot of energy but because of that energy, made a couple mistakes they don’t normally make,” she said. “I was really proud of them. They put up a huge fight while they were out there and showed a lot of perseverance, but there were a couple things they needed to brush up on and they did.

 

Watching the girls deliver the routine at Big Ten with such poise and excellence brought her as much joy as the announcement of the win, she said.

 

“It was magical,” she said. “I still can’t really wrap my mind around it. Going in, I told the girls it was just another practice for us that we needed to use to get ready for states in December. They did exactly what I asked of them and it’s probably the best I’ve seen them perform all year. They did just a really, really phenomenal job. They really gave it their all.”

 

This year’s team is a talented one all the way around, but perhaps their No. 1 strength this season is tumbling, Hathaway said.

 

“We focused more on tumbling than we have in the past,” she said. “Since last year’s basketball season, I have really stressed to the girls that I wanted to up the tumbling for this year. In June, at summer workouts, I told them some of the things I wanted.”

 

Over the course of the past year, the girls have worked hard to take their tumbling skills to the next level, enabling the squad to execute a series of tucks, toe touches, standing tucks and whip passes at the onset of the routine.

 

Assistant Coach Janet Hathaway said she could not be happier for her team.

 

"I could not be prouder to be associated with such an amazing group of talented, hard-working girls. All 17 of them have worked very hard in preparation of this routine and it has shown in their performances," she said. "I am so excited for this opportunity for the BHS cheerleaders to represent Bridgeport at states on Dec. 8. I would also like to thank the fans who have come out and cheered them on as this helps the girls so much. We would love to see all of the great fans in Charleston!"

 

Regional competition took place at Robert C. Byrd High School. Defending Class AA regional and state champions, the Flying Eagle cheer team was runner-up. Landing third place was Herbert Hoover High School, followed by Lewis County and Liberty, respectively. Also competing were Lincoln, Nicholas County, Clay County, Elkins and Braxton County. Both BHS and RCB advance to states Dec. 8 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Claiming winner and runner-up spots and representing Region II in Class A are Clay Battelle and Notre Dame High School, respectively. Capturing Class AAA honors was Martinsburg with Jefferson in the runner-up spot.

 

The Big Ten competition featured Class AA and Class AAA teams. In order of performance, they were Lewis County, Liberty, Lincoln, North Marion, Philip Barbour, Preston County, Robert C. Byrd, Bridgeport, Buckhannon-Upshur, East Fairmont, Elkins, Fairmont Senior and Grafton. Again, RCB claimed second place, followed by Lewis County and Liberty.

 

For the next month, the Tribe cheerleaders will continue to work on their competition routine and hope to deliver a flawless performance at states on Dec. 8.

 

“We’ll probably make a few changes here and there, but otherwise just work on cleaning up,” Hathaway said.

 

Order of Class AA competition at states are Logan, Westside, Man, Weir, Winfield, Bridgeport, Keyser and Robert C. Byrd.

 

In Class A, it is Williamstown, Fayetteville, Midland Trail, Madonna, Tug Valley, Clay Battelle, Wheeling Central and Notre Dame. Class AAA is Spring Valley, Woodrow Wilson, George Washington, Brooke, Hurricane, Martinsburg, Wheeling Park and Jefferson.

 

Going into regional competition, Hathaway said she told the girls not to concentrate on the outcome of judging, but rather on executing their personal best.

 

“I kind of stressed to them to put up a fight; that we have no control of results and to hold their heads up, no matter what,” she said.

She couldn’t be prouder of them and she’s very excited for the opportunity before them.

 

“I just think they are super excited,” she said. “Of course, it means a lot to the upperclassmen. They’ve competed four times and now in their senior year, they’re able to make it to states. I know it’s really meaningful to all of them and awesome to be able to represent their school and county on the state level.”

 

Many of the Tribe cheerleaders will be around for a few more years. Eight of the 17-member squad are freshmen.

 

Members are seniors Isabelle Cunanan, Lexi Galan, Sophie DelGreco and Ashley Weber; juniors Miranda Kress, Lindsey Suter, Sophia Gorby, Addison Boggs and Alyson Gibson and freshmen Lilly Strait, Gyllian Wagner, Emilia Underwood, Lauran Johnston, Rylee Mullins, Amelia Duarte, Jade Nguyen and Lillian Iaquinta.

 

Editor’s Note: Photos of Region II and Big Ten competitions are by Ben Queen Photography. See the Tribe's Big Ten championship performance below, courtesy of Jennifer Duarte.