Young Panthers eager for 2002 Monmouth earns 4th straight title

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BANGOR – Just minutes after earning the Class D state runner-up title at Saturday’s state championship meet at the Bangor Auditorium, three Central Aroostook cheerleaders were already thinking about their routine for next season.

“Next year we want an [1980s] theme,” said junior Danielle Larrabee. “Our goal is to be state champs. That’s all we want.”

With every Panther cheerleader returning to school next year, Larrabee has a reason to be optimistic about the team’s prospects. Here’s another reason: Monmouth, winner of four straight Class D titles and seven of the past eight crowns, is moving up to Class C.

The Mustangs put together another top-notch routine and rolled to the championship, racking up 76 points out of a possible 100. Central Aroostook finished with 611/2 for second place.

Deer Isle-Stonington was third with 581/2 points and Machias, which had just seven cheerleaders, was fourth (56 points).

St. Dominic of Lewiston scored 77 points to win the Class C state title, its third in a row. Traip of Kittery was second with 72 points. Central of Corinth scored 641/2 points to finish third and Washington Academy of East Machias, the Eastern Maine champion, was fourth (63).

Eight teams in each class – four from Eastern Maine and four from Western Maine – vied for the state crowns.

(In Class D this year Eastern and Western Maine have been combined into one group because there are just three WM teams).

The top four teams with the highest preliminary scores, regardless of regional affiliation, were called back for the finals.

More than 5,000 spectators turned out to watch the competitions (the state meet for Classes A and B was held in the afternoon).

Central Aroostook was happy with the second-place finish, especially because the Panthers made some changes in the dance portion of their routine last week and had only performed the finished routine once – at Friday’s pep rally.

“We changed four or five counts of it,” Mindy Rideout said. “It turned out to be good.”

The Panthers had a few bobbles on top of their lifts, but managed to keep everyone in the air during its patriotic-themed routine.

Monmouth coach Debbie Poulin was especially pleased with the Mustangs’ effort.

“They were flawless,” she said. “They did a routine that I’m so very happy with.”

While the top-seeded Western Maine Class C teams rolled to the top two prizes, two Eastern Maine squads displayed charming routine themes.

Central played on its mascot, the Red Devil, and performed to a series of fire- and heat-themed songs. For a grand finale the Devils stood in a circle and shook bright red pom-poms above their heads, meant to resemble a circle of fire, while a flyer popped up from a basket toss in the middle of the circle.

Central was in second place going into the final round with Traip 11/2 points behind. But one of the Devils’ lifts fell during the final routine.

“We try to be creative. We know your beginning and your ending are important,” Central coach Stephanie Chesley said. “That’s what the judges will remember. That and the little bobble in between.”

The Washington Academy girls had seen the “Charlie’s Angel’s” movie and performed to songs from the movie’s soundtrack.

“We worked slowly to start putting [the routine] together. At first we didn’t like it, but we worked with it and we liked it more and more every time,” said captain Jessica Wood, who bears a resemblance to Drew Barrymore, one of the movie’s stars.

State cheerleading championships

Class C

Final scores: St. Dominic 77, Traip 72, Central 641/2, Washington Academy 63

Preliminary: St. Dominic 731/2, Central 69, Traip 671/2, Washington Academy 63, Jay 60, Sumner 60, Winthrop 571/2, Dexter 52

Class D

Final scores: Monmouth 76, Central Aroostook 611/2, DI-Stonington 581/2, Machias 56

Preliminary: Monmouth 67, DI-Stonington 61, Central Aroostook 601/2, Machias 581/2, Bangor Christian 56, Fort Fairfield 50, Buckfield 471/2, Jonesport-Beals 441/2