High School Cheerleading

EASTERN MAINE CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIPS

Time, site: 6:30 p.m., Bangor Auditorium

Teams competing (in order of competition): Messalonskee, Nokomis, Brewer, Cony, Skowhegan, Mount Ararat, Morse, Leavitt, Oxford Hills, Lawrence, Medomak, Mt. Blue, Gardiner, Bangor, Hampden

Last’s season champion: Brewer

Teams to watch: Brewer, Bangor, Oxford Hills, Gardiner

Outlook: The Witches are once again the team to beat here, and have been putting on huge displays this season. The regional meet should be no different as long as Brewer can cut down on mistakes that have resulted in point deductions. The Rams, second to Brewer in last season’s EM competition, won their first Big East Conference crown two weeks ago and were fourth at last week’s PVC championship. Oxford Hills of South Paris won its 10th Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A title in the last 11 years earlier this week. Gardiner was the runner-up in that competition.

Notes: Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. Programs are $2. Doors open to the public at 4:45 p.m. Tickets for all Eastern Maine Class B, C and D cheerleading sessions will also be purchased at that time and again at 7:15 a.m. Saturday. The top four teams will advance to the Class A state championship on Feb. 8 at the Bangor Auditorium, where they will face their Western Maine counterparts. The WM regional competition will be held Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center. All teams will perform their routines in the first round of the competition and the top 50 percent plus ties will be called back to the final round.