TD cheerleaders are gearing up for 2018

In the end, there were 15 cheerleaders from The Dalles High School that gave everything they had to help the program capture its 13th state title.

After finishing in second place for the second season in a row at the 2017 OSAA/U.S. Bank/Les Schwab Tires Cheerleading State Championships last weekend in Portland, the Riverhawks are set to bring back eight returning seniors, who are hungrier than ever to hoist a blue trophy in 2018.

“I think this experience will motivate us to strive for first place next year,” said Hannah Wallis. “There were a lot of us that were new to cheer, myself included. Along with our coach, we are still learning. South Albany was a tough competitor and their performance shows us what we need to strive for next year. But, I believe that next year, if we have all the essentials we need, we will bring home a state title.”

Of the 12 other 5A teams, the Riverhawks started their routine sixth in the order, ahead of North Eugene, Wilsonville, Ridgeview, Redmond, Parkrose and Crater.

The Dalles scored a total of 67.80 points in its building skills portion, added 66 points in tumbling and jumps, and finished with a 50-point effort in overall routine for a combined 183.80, more than 11 points higher than the third-place team, Crater (172.60).

“During our state routine, there were no dramatically weak parts,” said TD cheer member, Samantha Stanley. “The whole thing was flawless and the best we have ever done. Once the music cut off at the end, we all hurried off the mat crying and hugging each other. We did our best, gave 100 percent and we were beyond proud of ourselves.”

Wilsonville totaled 170.90 to secure fourth place, and Milwaukie placed fifth with 168.20 points.

South Albany won the 5A championship for the second consecutive year.

A caveat to the Riverhawks’ performance was that they racked up the third-highest score of the day amongst the 6A and 5A divisions, and fifth-highest out of all the programs spanning 1A to 6A, 74 schools.

“To even be in the same point range as the 6A teams is a huge accomplishment as a coach and my girls couldn’t believe that when I told them our scores,” said TD head coach Kelsey Sugg.

Through the nine-month cheer season, The Dalles dealt with a record winter snowfall that canceled multiple practices and meets, broke in seven first-year competitive cheerleaders and had to shuffle the roster due to a season-ending knee injury to senior Lauryn Despain.

Given this adversity, however, several members rose up to the challenge when called upon to fill necessary roles.

Freshman Giselle Schwartz came through like a seasoned veteran in place of Despain, Shivani Patel played a pivotal part with her versatility in first year, and the duo of Ella Morgan and Hannah Caracciolo showed that they can be reliable forces down the road from their flyer positions.

With the constant change, coach Sugg and her assistants, Andrea Peña and Alli Miles, relied on Despain, Kegan Rice, and Abbey Helseth to help in any capacity.

That selfless display is not lost on the mind of Sugg.

“Even though Lauryn has been out, she has been extremely dedicated to the team, showing up to every practice and helping the coaches and girls with whatever they need,” Sugg said. “I told Abbey and Keagan how they are going to be hard captains to beat. They are such well-rounded girls. I could count on them for anything. I lean on my seniors as much as they lean on me. They are going to be so missed.”

While Rice is moving on to college in Eugene with a major in physiology or social work, and Helseth furthers her education at Central Oregon Community College for a major in dentistry and Despain heads to college with visions of becoming a speech pathologist, coach Sugg has the task of replacing sophomore flyer Meara Crawford.

“Meara will be missed so much, as she is moving next year and it is going to be hard on the team and on the coaches,” Sugg said. “She is a very special athlete and a wonderful person, inside and out.”

Rice starts her new journey through adulthood equipped with life skills that cannot be attained through television, social media or in any classroom.

“Cheer and dance has taught me to do things to the best of my ability and to never give up in what I want to achieve,” she said. “It taught me that getting to where you want to be takes a lot of dedication and work. I believe I wouldn’t be as college-bound as I am if it weren’t for my time in cheer.”

Coach Sugg added that if this team aspires to claiming the program’s 13th state championship trophy, they are going to have to log extra hours in the gym, improving and working on their skills and their tumbling.

The future is bright for The Dalles Cheer Team, and everyone involved is counting down the days for a shot at redemption.

“State was such an incredible last experience that I will cherish forever,” Helseth said. “It was a bittersweet goodbye, but I’m so happy I got to experience it with such an amazing team and coaches. It’s really sad knowing I won’t be back, but I know The Dalles is going to rock it next year.”