The Competition Cheer team started the season on strong footing, earning a bid to nationals after performing their game-day routine at the 2022 UCA Pocono Regional event, held at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 4.

Prior to that, the team earned high marks at its first competition at North Hunterdon on Oct. 29. The girls placed third in their traditional routine and took home the first-place prize for their game-day routine, setting the tone for a potentially fantastic rest of the season.

The early-season success of this year’s team was on par with last year’s extremely successful season, which saw the team reaching finals at nationals for their game-day routine and placing seventh in the nation.

A mix of old and new faces are carrying the team this year, following the loss of seven seniors who graduated last year, including previous captains Kate Freund and Meredith Elwood. The size of the team has shrunk as well, from 19 girls down to 15, changing the division from medium to small.

“The small division is extremely competitive and includes some of the best teams in N.J. and in the country,” said head coach Cheyenne Finocchario, who is being assisted by two new coaches this year, Kristen Russo and Jessica Cavaliere. “This is forcing us to increase the difficulty of the skills that we are putting on the mat, specifically for our traditional routine. Even so, I have no doubt that this team is hungry for a national title and will rise to the occasion.”

The current team is made up of returning senior captains Arabella Mechanick and Sydney Bibbo, along with seniors Ashlie Allen, Crismarie Lorenzo, Ella Barbara, Kaitlyn Ruane and Katelyn Liston. Also returning from last year are junior Sienna Alexander, and sophomores Scarlett Cantada, Ella Peretz-Gonzalez, Sarah Reyes, and Monica Sapone.

Joining the returning cheerleaders are three newcomers, including junior Rina Greenberger, Grace Collinson and freshman Katie Ellermeyer.

“For the new upcoming competition season, we have been working extremely hard since August to make a routine that challenges ourselves and that is clean,” Liston said. “We have participated in off-season training sessions, had extra practices and gone to Freedom Park as well as taken tumbling lessons to practice on our own time.”

The team’s next competition is scheduled to take place on Dec. 15 against Sparta.