Lake Orion held the first-ever OAA I Cheerleading Jamboree on Jan. 10, with the Dragons placing second behind two-time defending state champion Rochester.
‘I was pleased with everyone’s performance,? said Dragon Coach Nancy DeAvila. ‘This is the first time we’ve done the weeknight performances on this side of the state.?
The OAA changed formats this year, moving from one winner-take-all event to three events. The two jamboree meets will make up 50 percent of the team’s final score, with the Feb. 3 event accounting for the other half.
‘This way, everybody gets three opportunities to bring their best to the mat,? DeAvila said, noting this philosophy was adopted on the west side of the state years ago.
She said there is a little more margin for error, as teams missing a player due to injury or sickness (as LO was for this event), could get that athlete back in the lineup the next time.
‘I think it’s good to get the kids out on the mat as much as possible,? DeAvila added.
The Dragons scored 675.5 points, nearly 12 better than third place Stoney Creek and more than 20 behind Rochester (704.1). Lake Orion, however, did defeat Rochester in the third round (the stunt portion of the competition) 290-289.
Rochester has won more state titles than any other Division I team in competitive cheerleading.
‘Anytime Rochester is in the field and you beat them in a round is fantastic.
‘On Dec. 16, at the CCCAM Scholarship Invitational held at Stoney Creek, the Dragons did one better, topping the state’s preeminent team to take the title.
Their score of 702.8 on that day was the first time since 2003, that the team reached the 700-point plateau.
‘Our team was the only team out of 27 that stayed in the air,? DeAvila said of the stunt round, which catapulted Lake Orion over Rochester, which held a 23-point lead going into the final round.
‘They earned the win,? the coach added.
DeAvila attributed their success in the season-opening competition to their off-season training.
‘It’s a hard working, dedicated group of kids,? she said.
The team is made up of 36 members, including 14 seniors. DeAvila noted that many newcomers to the squad have already spent multiple years at the junior varsity level, so there is quite a bit of experience throughout the lineup.
‘One of our biggest goals was to improve on our stunting,? she said, adding that the team has raised their difficulty level in the crucial third round to compete with the top teams.
‘Our flyers are youthful,? she said of the three sophomores and one junior that take on the important role. ‘But they’ve all got experience.?
The team kept busy in various training camps throughout the summer and fall to prepare for this season.
‘We’ve made it a priority for our team,? DeAvila said of the training regiment.
The team will compete in the second OAA I Jamboree at Stoney Creek on Jan. 24 and host their own invitational on Jan. 27, with some 50 teams scheduled to perform.
The team will also host regionals in early March, though their region has changed a bit, due to the addition of several Division I teams in Oakland and Macomb counties.
‘We’re coming off of a ninth-place finish at the state and we host regionals this year,? DeAvila said. ‘I don’t care if 20 teams are added, our goal is to improve on that finish at states last year.?
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The Dragons topped eight other varsity cheer teams this past weekend to claim the Oxford Invitational championship.
‘It was a really solid performance for every round,? DeAvila said, noting the team met their goal of winning all three rounds of the competition outright.
In addition to the varsity performance, both the junior varisty and freshman teams placed first and all three Lake Orion middle schools finished in the top five in their respective competitions.
‘They all did great,? DeAvila said.
The varsity squad will travel to Brighton this weekend for an invitational that includes state powers like Southgate Anderson and Hartland.