BAR HARBOR – With their head coach only able to attend practices three days a week after she had a baby in October, the John Bapst cheering team wanted their routine done earlier than usual.

That showed Saturday at the Penobscot Valley Conference Large School Cheering Championships at MDI High School’s Bernard Parady Gymnasium. Displaying polished moves and some complex stunts, John Bapst scored an average of 120.75 points to win the title and defend its 2007 crown.

Hermon was right behind the Crusaders for the second year in a row. The defending Class B state champion Hawks scored a 120.10.

Two new Class B teams rounded out the top four. Central of Corinth, which moved up from Class C this year, averaged a 105.30, followed by former Class A team Old Town, which had a 104.15. Ellsworth, which averaged a score of 100.40, was fifth.

Each of the 10 teams performed its routine twice. The two scores were averaged to determine placing.

Bapst, which competed to a medley of songs from the 1980s, was steady both times through, but the Crusaders likely wouldn’t have expected less. They’ve had their routine completely finished for two weeks while Jen Babcock, who coached Bapst to Class B state titles in 2005 and 2006, makes her way back after giving birth to son, Evan. Jessica Lawrence, a former Bapst cheerleader, also has coached the Crusaders this year.

“The seniors met, and we set a goal that our routine would be done before [winter] vacation, so we could really polish it,” said senior Melissa Glifort. “We’ve been running this routine, full out, all this time.”

No other team at Saturday’s competition had four stunt groups going at a time, which is hard to pull off because it means the flyer doesn’t have a base in front of them to support her toes. The Crusaders made it look easy, however, with relatively few shaky moments.

“We’ve done it for three years now and it’s one of the most difficult things to do because you don’t get a fronter,” said Sheila Toomey, who is also a senior.

Those complicated stunts are key for teams like Bapst, which has just six tumblers. Hermon, meanwhile, has its full team tumbling during its routine.

In other ways, however, the Crusaders kept it simple, sticking with single-twist dismounts out of some of their stunts. Bapst expects to add touches of more complexity in the coming weeks, which could include the crowd-pleasing but difficult double-twist dismounts.

“We have room to improve on difficulty, but we don’t want to make it too difficult,” senior Brianne Cowan said. “We’re trying for it. Every competition you’ll see something new to us.”

The Crusaders are pleased with the dance section of their routine, however, and that probably won’t change.

The rest of the Bapst team includes Kaili Quinn, Lauren Dooman, Lauren Peavey, Alexandria Wright, Kali Shorey, Nikol Harris, Lauren Licata, Amber Weaver, Krysti Sanzaro, Alyssa Foley, Georgia Cartwright, Lauren Freeman, Kylie Thibodeau-Harvey and Kacy Thibodeau-Harvey.

Hermon coach Lisa Pratt was pleased with a finish just .65 points behind Bapst, especially because the Hawks hadn’t performed their routine in front of an audience until Saturday.

“The first round, I have to say, I was a little concerned because we weren’t at that great level that I know we can be,” said Pratt, whose team went with a theme of songs from 1970s TV shows. “The second time around, it was my girls. They did a great job.”

Hermon was one of the few teams that used double-twisting dismounts to success, and even did it with its flyers starting on their sides – a tough trick to pull off.

“They were fantastic, but coming down from a double off your side is hard,” Pratt said. “The girls love doing them.”

Hermon finished second to Bapst in both the PVC and Big East Conference competitions last year, but still won the state crown.

Tigers take Small School title

At Millinocket, Sumner had an average score of 108.9 points to win the Penobscot Valley Conference Small School Championship at Stearns High School’s Wentworth Gymnasium.

The Tigers of East Sullivan were just 1.78 points ahead of runner-up Orono. Houlton finished third with 106.5 points, while Dexter was fourth with 97.05 and Deer Isle-Stonington took fifth with a 92.95 average.

Eleven teams in Classes C and D participated in the competition.

Last year’s PVC Small School winner, Central of Corinth, is now in Class B and placed third overall in the Large School competition Saturday.

Sumner, which was fifth last year, had a first-round score of 108 points and received a 109.8 in the second round.

Members of the Sumner team are Danielle Altieri, Courtney Briggs, Megan Parritt, Kitty Brenton, Sarah Frost, Jordyn Knowles, Kelsey Martin, Brooke Raynor, Haley Sandstrom, Tawney Jacobs, Julia Johnson, Eva Vandergrift, Brianna Bishko, Page Jacobs, Maria Lockhart, Jalisa Patten and Jordan Rivers.

Like the Tigers, Orono also moved up from last year’s fourth-place finish to second this year.