Monticello’s seniors had one last shot at the Jefferson District title that eluded them for three years as members of the competition cheer squad. In a program that won six titles in its first 10 years of existence, it qualified as a lengthy drought.
The drought is over.
Last week the Mustangs put together a big-time performance at the Jefferson District cheerleading championships, grabbing the JD title by outpacing Louisa County, the three-time defending champions.
“It was so much hard work,” said Monticello captain Jessica Cash. “We deserved it because of how we worked.”
Powhatan, who hosted the competition, took third place. With the victory, the Mustangs advance to the Region II championships.
The Mustangs pointed to better preparation this season as a big part of their success, and it’s not hard to see that in action in just a short segment of the squad’s practice this week. The team practiced its challenging, fast-paced routine while coach Veronica Price-Thomas filmed with a video camera. Price-Thomas then immediately plugged the camera into a laptop hooked up to a wall projector and the team honed in on small mistakes related to hand position, recoveries and dancing. There were no hurt feelings either — every member of the team seems eager to make the performance better in any small way.
Price-Thomas has been a fixture in the cheer program at Monticello. She took the helm when Monticello opened after coaching at Walton for a decade and has continued
The squads’ captains, Susan Barlow, Timerra Vest and Cash have developed distinct roles on the squad with each serving as the go-to captain for certain aspects of competition cheering, from tumbling to positioning to dancing. And that leadership has helped build a cohesive, focused team that supports each other.
“We’re like sisters on this team,” Barlow said. “We spend a lot of time together.”
The captains also spearheaded the development of the squad’s music and the routine. The music got a boost from the digital media lab at Monticello High.
“Mr. (David) Glover helped a lot on that,” Barlow said. “We spent a long time sorting through the songs.”
The Mustangs also developed the routine about a month ahead of their usual schedule, which gave them more time to perfect and improve the movements. The preparation made ending that district title drought possible and it’s opened up a chance for the Mustangs, if they can advance through the Region II championships on November 5 at Powhatan, to appear at the Siegel Center in the state championships on November 12.
The Mustangs usually attend the state championships as a team as spectators and head out for a shopping trip afterwards.
If they maintain the new performance level they’ve established, they might get their wish and find themselves on the Siegel Center floor in November.
