Hermon among cheerleading champs out to defend crowns

Three of the four 2007 state cheerleading champions will be in action this weekend as four different competitions will be held around the region.

The Hermon High cheerleaders, who won their first Class B state title last year, are eager to get on the floor for Saturday’s Penobscot Valley Conference Championships.

An invitational competition at Bangor High kicks off the weekend tonight as the Rams host fellow Class A teams Brewer, the defending Class A champ, along with Hampden and Nokomis of Newport.

The Downeast Athletic Conference championships, featuring 2007 Class C state champion Washington Academy of East Machias, will be held Friday at 6 p.m. in the Raiders’ gym.

The PVC large-school competition, featuring the Hawks and 10 other Class B teams, will be Saturday at Mount Desert Island High School. The PVC small-school competition for Classes C and D is set for Saturday, 11 a.m., at Stearns High in Millinocket.

Hermon, including senior captains Ashley Andrews, Ashleigh Fairbanks and Meagan Keith, will debut its 2008 routine.

“We still have a lot of girls with a lot of experience,” coach Lisa Pratt said. “We’re going to be good, and we’re going to be pretty competitive.”

Hermon was the runner-up at the 2007 PVC competition. John Bapst of Bangor is the defending champion.

Like many teams at this early point in the season, the Hawks probably won’t go with the more difficult aspects of their routine but will implement those as the season progresses.

“I don’t know if we will bring the whole thing Saturday,” Pratt said. “… If I had to worry about something, I would take it out. We’re not going to throw [in] something we can’t do. We’re definitely going to bring the best we have. I’m happy with what we have so far, and I couldn’t be happier with this group of girls. This is a really nice, get-along, wanna-be-here, dedicated team.”

Hermon is known for having a lot of tumbling, and Pratt said that won’t change this year.

“We’re not hurting in tumbling,” she said. “We’ve got some tumblers who have gotten better with age. That’s a big part of it, but you still have to bring the cheer.”

Fort Fairfield, the 2007 Class D state champion, will be in action Jan. 18 at the Aroostook County championships at Caribou High.

Makaretz is Gatorade winner

Yarmouth’s Anna Makaretz has been named the winner of the inaugural Gatorade Maine Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

The senior will now be a finalist for the national award, which will be announced later this month.

Makaretz won the Class B individual state championship with a time of 19 minutes, 47 seconds, beating her closest competitor by seven seconds. The Western Maine Conference first-team all-star finished 31st at the New England championships and 41st at the Foot Locker Northeast Regionals.

She also won the Western Maine Conference and Western Maine Class B regional titles.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes one winner in each state and the District of Columbia in the states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball and boys and girls track and field.

The award takes into consideration not only athletic excellence but also character and performance in the classroom.

jbloch@bangordailynews.net

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