Right, the Winfield varsity cheerleaders celebrate with their trophy at Universal Orlando Studios. Left to right, front row: Bella Thompson, Baylee Pennington, Anna Claire Tidwell, Chloe Beth Kleypas and Lily Hubbert. Middle row: Coach Sandra Seals, London Wallace, Gabby McCullum, Bella Tidwell, Makinzie Jones, Kaelyn Weeks, Alyssa Travis, Caroline Butler and Coach Ashley Wilson. Back row: Jenna Westbrooks, Addyson Rhudy, Ally Tidwell, Kylee Harbin, Alaya Blackburn and Isabella Posey.
ORLANDO — Winfield City High School varsity cheerleaders placed 13th out of 58 teams at a national cheer competition despite a last minute injury.
Winfield’s varsity cheerleaders competed in the National High School Cheerleading Championship in February in Orlando, Fla.
Before nationals, they competed in two other competitions at the preliminary and semi-final stages where squads qualified for a place at the national competition.
Things were going well for the team to qualify for nationals, up until a last second development nearly derailed their journey.
“Before we left, we had a showcase,” said Head Cheer Coach Sandra Seals. “The only senior we have is Bailey Pennington, and it was the craziest little ordeal. She went to pick up her megaphone, and the way she bent her knee, she tore her ACL.”
Seals said Pennington, who is a main base as part of their formations, sustained a torn ACL and grade 2 MCL tear.
“We were devastated,” Seals said. “We had parents there, and a lot of other people there watching us, and we just had to send everybody home. This was on Sunday, and we were leaving that Thursday. But she was dead determined.”
Seals said Pennington refused to give up, saying this was her senior year, and she was not going to miss the chance to compete at nationals.
She kept a brace on her knee and iced it regularly, and the team set out to compete in Orlando as planned.
They competed in the small, non-tumbling division, one of 58 teams competing in that division at nationals.
The competition lasted three days, and Winfield made it through to the final day as one of 16 remaining teams.
“On the last day, (Bailey’s) knee buckled with her when we were doing a stunt,” Seals said. “Her knee buckled with her, and the top girl came down but didn’t fall. There were still deductions when you fall like that at nationals, but we ended up in the top 13 out of 58 squads.”
While they didn’t place as well as they would have liked, Seals said she is proud of the girls for how well they performed considering the circumstances, as well as having a younger team this year.
“I am so proud because we had two eighth graders and one ninth grade top girl, so we are a very young team,” she said. “Right before Spring Break we had our elections, and we have 24 on varsity this year so it looks great for the future.
“I’m just proud of the kids! A lot of people say, ’13?’ Well, out of 58 squads across the whole United States, it was great!
“With our enrollment, we have a little over 300 kids in 9-12, and we were up against schools with 1,000 or more enrolled. So we were just tickled to death to come home with a trophy.
“Yes, we wanted to win, but with Bailey’s circumstances with her knee, I was so, so proud of her that she was willing to fight through the pain. I’m so proud of her for working through the pain. She is such an amazing young lady!
“She iced it every time we performed, and she was just a trooper, I’m telling you! She said, ‘It’s my senior year, it’s my last year, I’m doing it!’ and she just went.
“I’m so proud of this squad being so young but having accomplished a lot in a year. I’m so proud of all of them!”
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