Competing against nine other schools in the same division, the Raider cheerleading team placed fourth on Feb. 10’s intense county-wide competition.

With cheerleading teams all over the county throwing a variety of tumbling passes and stunts, the Raiders themselves said they felt that they gave it their all. With only one of their stunts failing and all tumbling passes completed, they said that they felt content with what their performance

“I believe we gave it our all, we fought for stunts and they hit,” said junior Ahylexus Kidd, a member of the cheerleading team. “We had little mistakes, but that was okay, because overall our performance was good.”

The team agreed that they have came a long way, but that they still have room to improve. Senior Victoria Haith, also a raider cheerleader, said “I feel like it was better than invitationals, each group improved stunting wise, and we performed better as a whole. Each person also pushed themselves to improve their tumbling which helped improve [our] score sheet, and we added things to the routine to make it better and give it a better visual.”

Senior Danielle Dyson added, “I’m proud of my team and what we did. We have things to clean up and work on, but I’m satisfied.”

Kidd also spoke of the other teams’ routines. “Some of the teams were really good. Flowers [High School], for example, their routine was clean and sharp, they had advance stunts and high baskets. I was surprised by how some of the other teams were basic with watered-down routines.”

Haith explained, “We definitely could have hit our routine cleaner, and that would’ve scored us higher, but given who we competed against, I wasn’t upset at all about our place.” Dyson said that she too felt the same. “For now I am happy about our placement,” said Dyson. “We can improve and work on our stunts and tumbling. I know we will only get better.”

The team is now preparing for nationals in April, by, according to Dyson, “increasing tumbling and stunts, and “being sharp.”