State cheerleading meet set Saturday Hermon hoping to overcome setbacks

The day of the Eastern Maine Class B championship competitions, the Hermon cheerleading team encountered a number of nagging problems, from a late bus in the morning to a quirky injury to a stuck bus in the afternoon.

The Hawks overcame all that and won the regional title that day, but it hasn’t become any easier for the squad since the Jan. 31 competition. Only this time things are a bit more serious – a death in the family of one of their members, another who had surgery and will not be able to compete in Saturday’s Class B state championships, and other team members struggling with academics.

But if the Hawks put it behind them the way they did two weeks ago, they should be fine.

Hermon and the rest of the cheerleading teams that qualified at regionals two weeks ago will compete Saturday morning at the Bangor Auditorium for the state crowns.

The day starts with Machias trying to defend its state crown in the Class D competition at 9:25 a.m. Hermon takes the floor with the rest of Class B at 1 p.m., followed by EM champ Central of Corinth and the other Class C teams at 4:55 and Class A regional winner Brewer and the rest of the “A” teams at 8:35.

In Classes A, B, and C the top six finishers in Eastern and Western Maine advanced to Saturday’s competition. In Class D, which combines the two regions, the top eight teams will vie for the state title.

The Hermon girls scored a 133.1, edging Rockland for their first-ever Eastern Maine title – actually, their first-ever cheering title – and their second straight trip to states.

The Hawks say they have more drive this year, for a variety of reasons.

“I wasn’t able to compete at states and that drove me even more,” said senior tri-captain Krista Helms, who had a broken finger. “Seeing my squad there last year made me want it so much more.”

And as coach Lisa Pratt has told the Hawks, they deserve it. After their dreadful day at Eastern Maine – aside from winning the whole competition – things didn’t get any better off the mat. Tri-captain Carey Bell had surgery on a torn knee ligament, one cheerleader was away at the end of the week at a relative’s funeral, and two other girls are now off the squad because of grades.

“It’s no secret we’ve had two girls fail off our squad,” Pratt said. “It’s just been one thing after another, but this team, it just makes us fight even harder.”

The Hawks will bring 12 cheerleaders to states, including senior Lauren Kimball, who has been on the team for four years. Her biggest asset is her tumbling skill.

Pratt said she and Kimball talk about tumbling all the time, and the coach has given Kimball permission to freelance tumbling passes during routines as long as they fit into the count of the routine’s music.

“I might do [one tumbling pass] because it’s more points; if my back hurts, I do a layout,” said Kimball, who is also a captain. “I was going to try my full this year, but I don’t want to fall and lose points.”

Last year, the Hawks admit, they were a bit starry-eyed at states. This year they’re more of a known commodity, but Pratt is trying to be realistic about her squad’s chances.

“We’re not going to win, but we’re going to try to be competitive,” she said. “But I’ll tell you what, you’ve never seen a group of girls so happy to be there.”