Tigers claim Class C East championship

By Pete Warner
Bangor Daily News staff

    BANGOR — Cheerleading teams spend countless hours developing and perfecting their routines for the opportunity to perform them only a few times in competition. Often, it’s the exact same routine throughout the conference, regional and state championships.

Bangor Daily News photos by Ashley L. Conti

    NOTHING ROUTINE ABOUT DEXTER — The cheering team from Dexter Regional High School finished atop the standings at the conclusion of the 2015 Class C East championship on Jan. 25 at Bangor’s Cross Insurance Center. The Tigers edged runner-up Bucksport by a score of 114 to 113.6 points, to follow similar titles won in 2012 and 2013.

    Dexter Regional High School added a little wrinkle to its repertoire prior to the Eastern Maine championships, and it may have been just what the Tigers needed. Dexter incorporated an express-up during a late pyramid, a move that helped propel the Tigers to their second regional title in three years on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Cross Insurance Center.
    “It was a very big difference-maker,” said Dexter senior Sarah Ann Vigue. “It’s a higher-level stunt, and you switch from one foot to the other in the air while you’re throwing [the flyer] up.
    “We were so afraid it wasn’t going to hit, and then once it hit, we were all so happy. We were cheering each other on the mat,” she added.
    Coach Kacie Ladd’s team scored 114 points to edge runner-up Bucksport by four-tenths of a point (113.6). Defending Class C state champion and 2015 Penobscot Valley Conference winner Central of Corinth finished third with 106.3 points followed by Orono (102.9), Houlton (101.3) and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln. All six teams advance to state championship competition Feb. 7 at the Augusta Civic Center.
    Dexter had tied for second place at the Penobscot Valley Conference meet a week earlier, signaling to Ladd that her team was ready to make a run at the title.
    “We spent all week to clean up and just make things stronger,” said the sixth-year coach. “I definitely knew it was within reach, but it all depends on the day and how it goes.”
    The Tigers, which utilized 13 competitors, made an impression early with a high basket throw that was facilitated in part by their three male team members, Martin Ward, Dillon Austin and Emmitt Ross.
    “Our opening basket is something that gets a reaction every time,” Ladd said. “It gets pretty high, so we’re proud of that.”
    Dexter appeared to execute its lifts with precision and demonstrated cohesiveness throughout. Even the Tigers’ cheer element was done while showing off three simultaneous lifts.
    “We worked on all of our stunts, we came in confident, we came in ready, and we just decided we’d come in here and show everybody what we’re made of,” said Ward, who is a senior.
    The express-up, which was added Thursday, wasn’t a major change for the Tigers, who had been nailing their stunts recently. And even though it came relatively late in Dexter’s routine, it provided the cheerleaders with a big boost.
    “Getting the energy from hitting that stunt and going into that last dance, it just gives you so much adrenaline,” Vigue said.
    Dexter’s other team members are: seniors Shayna Fogg, Cayla Wyman and Shawna Moulton; sophomores Grace Belanger, Olivia Day, Autumn Nickerson, Kirsten Swimm and Jasmine Woodard; and freshman Lily Cummings. The mascots are seniors Jacob Leighton and Matthew Stanhope.