Regional cheering finals set for Bangor, Augusta

The top cheerleading teams in Eastern Maine, as well as the field for the state championships, will be decided today in regional championships at the Bangor Auditorium and Augusta Civic Center.

The top four teams advance to the state championship meet, which will be held Feb. 4 at the Bangor Auditorium.

Big East Conference and Penobscot Valley Conference Class A champ Brewer will head the field for the Eastern Maine Class A competition, which will be held at the Augusta Civic Center starting at 3 p.m.

Two-time defending Class B state champion John Bapst of Bangor continues its title quest – the Crusaders have swept the Class B Big East and PVC titles this year – in the EM Class B competition starting at 3 p.m. at the Bangor Auditorium.

The Class C teams, including defending state champ Houlton, will compete starting at noon. They’ll follow the Class D field, including 2006 state winner Fort Fairfield, which gets under way at 9 a.m.

The Class D field includes both Eastern Maine and Western Maine teams because there are only four squads in the Western Maine region.

The Western Maine competitions will be held at the Augusta Civic Center, starting with WM Class A at 9 a.m. followed by Class B at noon, Eastern Maine Class A and then Western Maine Class C at 6:10 p.m.

In a procedural change from previous years, each team will perform its routine just once.

The top four teams in each region of Classes A, B and C advance to the state championships. In Class D, the top eight teams overall advance.