MILLINOCKET – Houlton High School came out of the first round with a solid lead and performed well in the second round while capturing the Penobscot Valley Conference Classes C-D cheerleading championship Saturday at Stearns High School.

The Shiretowners, who earned a fourth-place finish in last year’s competition, scored 131.7 points to hold off runner-up Orono, which tallied 127.8 points. The Red Riots were second for the third year in a row.

In all, 10 teams were vying for PVC small-school honors.

Sumner High of East Sullivan placed third with 124.6 points, followed by Dexter (124.3) and Central of Corinth (118.8).

Houlton’s team members included Elyse Peters, Theresa Harvey, Lexi Straubel, Taylor Rutledge, Mallory McPartland, Anna Schools, Leah Bates, Sarah Putnam, Brittany Hill, Ashlee McClure, Tiffany Bossie, Laurel Ranck, Margaret Moody, Justine Anderson, Laura Schools, Ashley Cleary, Nikki Eastman, Danielle Shields and alternate Kerstien Mayo.

Also competing in the championships were Bangor Christian, Penquis of Milo, Penobscot Valley of Howland, Katahdin of Stacyville and Schenck of East Millinocket.