On Saturday, Nov. 4, the AHS Football Cheerleaders will make their mark at the Iowa Cheerleading State Championships. This event will be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center. It is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. and will run until around 10 p.m. 

The cheer team has been putting in tireless hours since August to perfect their routine, which they performed at the 2023 Homecoming pep rally for the entire district. This will be the first time the Atlantic Cheerleaders have competed at this State event since 2014. There are over 150 teams competing statewide in various events. Four of the girls will be performing in the 3A stunt competition at 3:23 p.m. The girls include sidebases Aliyah Williams and Addison Fruend, flyer is Makenna Shroeder, and the back spot is Avery Nicholas. 

The full-squad routine will take place at 7:35 p.m. in the 3A Cheer and Dance Competition. “There are some elements from the homecoming routine that are being reworked and we are excited to show the community that cheerleading is a tough sport,” said Coach Hedegard-Moreno. The girls who will be competing in this competition are Aliyah Williams, Gracie DeArment, Addison Freund, Eleanor Butler, Jayci Reed, Mackenzie Jensen, Makenna Shroeder, Gabriella Mendez, Avery Nicholas, Kaiden Hatley, and Hallie Robinson.

Sophomore Gracie Dearment is excited for this great team bonding experience and is “excited to see the other cheer teams and their abilities.”

The cheerleading team has a great group of girls who all have their own special talents to present. These girls have worked tirelessly on new stunts and tumbling so show up and support them at their first competition in nine years. Not only do the girls cheer on the football team, but they shed their own light and show off their new skills weekly. This event is a great way to show off our cheerleaders and represent Atlantic High School.