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On top, but not alone

Cheerleading rivals battle to a tie, but a rematch gives the West Hernando Cougars a shot at a solo spotlight.

By DEREK J. LaRIVIERE, Times Correspondent
Published November 16, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Photo by Derek J. LaRiviere] Tyshanna Brunson, left, Lauren Washam and Taylor Bousquet hold up Dakota McFarland as the West Hernando Cougars Mighty Mite squad practices for the PPAL Cheer Off, which was held on Sunday.

The bright white in their uniforms contrasted with the blue and gold as the West Hernando Cougar cheerleaders entered the gymnasium.

Their outfits shone almost as brightly as the smiles on their faces. The smiles were partly for the judges on hand to score the squad's routine, and partly because the girls were so excited about what they had worked four months to accomplish.

At the Nature Coast Technical High School Gymnasium on Sunday, the squad's work was rewarded. The Mighty Mite group took a share of first place with Lutz in the Pasco Police Athletic League's annual Cheer Off.

The rivalry might not be settled until this weekend, when the squads will compete again in Tampa.

"There is a lot of commitment that goes into this," Cougar assistant coach Joe Piecora said. "These girls practice so hard to get this down."

On almost every level, the Cougars have held a rivalry in the PPAL with the Lutz Chiefs. The competition between Lutz and West Hernando on Sunday was no exception. In the Mighty Mite division, the Chiefs and Cougars were the favorites coming in.

Debbie McFarland, the Cougar cheerleading director and Mighty Mite coach, prepared her girls for the competition in the Nature Coast courtyard before they entered the gym.

The Cougars were drawn at random to go last out of the 11 programs competing.

"We all take this as serious as a heart attack," she said. "More hard work goes into this whole production than most people would think."

That work was evident on the girls' faces. McFarland tried to relieve the pressure by talking to her squad. She asked over and over what the Cougars were going to do once they were on the competition mat. She always heard the same refrain.

"Bust it out!" the squad yelled.

The moment finally arrived for the girls to enter the gym. Lutz had just finished its near-flawless routine, so the pressure was on.

The routines are scored on five components - dances, cheers, chants, stunts and jumps. The previous season the Mighty Mites took second place behind the Chiefs. Of the 23 girls on the 2006 squad, 10 were returning from that team.

The ground-up wolf wall pyramid that highlighted the Cougar routine had Samantha Evans at the top as the crowd cheered. The judges on hand were impressed, but "I couldn't believe what happened next," McFarland said - the Cougars and Chiefs tied for the Mighty Mite title.

Both teams will travel to Tampa this weekend to compete in the Tampa Bay Cheer Blast at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. More than 100 programs are expected to be compete.

[Last modified November 15, 2007, 19:50:16]