OCIAA CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONSHIPS

  KINGSTON--Three Sullivan County school districts competed in  the OCIAA Cheerleading competition held last Saturday at Kingston High School.
  Of the three local competing schools, Tri-Valley, Fallsburg and Monticello the Panthers of Monticello High placed third in the Mixed Competition Coed division.
  Cheerleading in New York State was approved last year by the New York State Education Department as a competitive sports for the winter 2014-15 season and an official NYSPHSAA Cheerleading Committee was organized with sectional championships leading to New York State championships.
  Guidelines for cheerleading competition were established as follows:
 1. Stunt.....one or more persons supporting  one of more two persons off the ground.
 2. Tumbling....gymnastic skills that begin and end on the performing surface, including rolls, inverted extended skills (cartwheels, handstands, walkovers, handsprings, etc.) aerials, twists and flips.....Note.......jumps, leeps and side rolls on the performing surface are not considered to be tumbling.
  3. Teams must have 10 team practices prior  to their first event (competition or game) and an individual must be in attendance at a minimum of 8 of those 10 team practices or they cannot participate in any events until the 8 practice minimum is met.
  This new sports also requires specific courses that cheer coaches must take in order to coach cheerleading in NYS.
  The courses that cheerleading coaches must take and complete prior to coaching a competitive team include AACCA Safety Certification, Child Abuse and Violence Prevention, Coaching Courses (Philosophies and Principles of Coaching/Athletics), Concussion Course, Dignity for all Students Act course, First Aid (CPR/AED) and all coaches must be fingerprinted.
  The new state sport also requires judges certification  and training for anyone interested in being considered for a judge. Only judges who have completed the training are considered for selection.
  School competed in divisions with Division 1 (600 and up) and Division 2 (up to 599).
  At Kingston last week Division 1 small squad consisted of Cornwall, Goshen, Kingston, Minisink Valley, Newburgh, Pine Bush and Washingtonville.
  Division 1 large squads included Highland and  Monroe-Woodbury.
  Division II small squads consisted of Chester, Fallsburg, James I. O'Neill, S.S. Seward and Tri-Valley.
  Mixed competition Coed squads included Middletown, Millbrook, Monticello, Valley Central and Warwick.
  In Division 1 Small Squad Pine Bush took first place, Minisink second place and Kingston third place.
  In Division 1 Large Squad Monroe-Woodburg took first and Highland second.
  Division II small squad S.S. Seward took first, Chester second and James I O'Neill third.
  Mixed Competition Co-ed saw Valley Central taking first place, Middletown second and Monticello third.
  Judges using score sheets had to consider the difficulty and execution of stunts, pyramids and or tosses, jumps, tumbling and motions and dance.
  With choreography judges looked at transitions and formations and spacing then judged voice and leading, appeal and showmanship within the category of crowd interaction.
  The 2015 OCIAA Cheerleading  Competition score sheet for third place Monticello had 52.3 from judge 1, a score of 32.6 from judge 1, judge 3 scored 33.3 and judge for 52.6 for a subtotal of 170.8 which is then divided by 4 for 42.70 and 2.0 for deductions for a total scored of 40.70.
  For Fallsburg the score sheet had 44.7 from judge 1, a total of 44.2 from judge 2, judge 3 had 29.8 and judge 4 scored 30.3 divided by 4 with no deductions for a total of 37.25.
  Tri-Valley received 42.3 from judge 1, a score of 42.2 from judge 2, judge 3 had 30.7 and judge 4 scored 30.9 for a total of 146.1 divided by 4 for a total with no deductions of 36.53.

 COMPETITION PHOTOS
                                                     

Monticello Central School cheerleaders captured third place in the Mixed Competition Co-Ed category during the OCIAA 2015 Cheerleading Chmpionship at Kingston March 7. Top Flyers are Erica Jahn and Adrianna Bracey. The remainder of the sqaud includes Natasiana Small. Xavier King, Mikayla DeGraw, Sierra Wayman, Allison Stein, Kathleen Lasher, Krista Novello, Julianna Kane, Kara Fredell and Leslie Fernandez. Not pictured but members of the sqaud are Courtney Swensen, Hailee Quiles and Maria Astras. Thier coach is Kelly Keesler.

                                                                    

                                                  

Fallsburg Central School cheerleaders competing with this pyramid March 7 at Kingston include Mickenna Meryer on top, bottom left Liliana Moody, center Ciana Patterson DaCosta and bottom right Naomi Moody. The teams coaches are Kiffaine Pregers and Francis Garcia.

                                                          

                                                              

                                                     

The Tri-Valley Central School cheerleading squad in competition March 7 at Kingston and coached by April Trojahn included flying in the air Captain Cheyenne LaPolt, Freshman Mercedes Hayden and Junior Key'Aleace Sherwood, supported by the rest of the team, Captain Dorothy Monforte, Mariah Hopkins, Angie Ulaj, Michelle Bilancione, Janine Bellacicco, Taylor Corbett, Amy Hubbert, Courtney Goldsmith, Xelina Encarnacion and Lindsey McCoy.