James Clemens cheer squad won the State Cheer championship (photo contributed)

MADISON- It was close. Less than a tenth of a point separated James Clemens and Bob Jones at the AHSAA State Cheer Competition on Nov. 21. Bob Jones was the two time defending state champion.

“There were a lot of talented teams, especially Bob Jones and it went down to hitting the routine. All our stunts hit. We were the only team to hit a perfect routine,” said James Clemens cheer coach and sponsor Andrea Alexander Dennis.

“We opened with single base full-ups which is one of the hardest stunts, our sequence starts with a one and half then a low-to-high tick-tock to stretch. We end with a double up, again a high degree of difficulty.”

There were 10 teams in the 7A division including Hazel Green, Smiths Station, Hoover, Spain Park, Vestavia Hills, Enterprise, and Bob Jones.

“All the teams did very well. The major difference between us and Bob Jones and the other 7A teams was the difficulty level. Us and Bob Jones have difficult routines and that puts us over the edge every year,” Alexander Dennis said.

“Every year competition cheer gets bigger. Enterprise, this was their first year and Hoover is in their third year competing.”

Alexander Dennis was an all-star cheerleader at Sparkman and a graduate of Alabama. She teaches AP Geometry at James Clemens. She has two roles; first as technical stunt coach and then as sponsor handling all the scheduling and paperwork.

“Being here at the school and practicing with the girls daily is an advantage. It is quite an undertaking.”

James Clemens like all the squads in 7A is all-girl. Some colleges have all girl cheer squads in addition to co-ed teams. Most are forced to go out-of-state to find cheerleaders experienced in co-ed stunts.

“One of our top cheerleaders, Avery McCutheon, wants to cheer coed in college and takes private lessons,” Alexander-Dennis said.

McCutcheon is a junior and a flyer for the Jets squad.

Alexander Dennis said that she has cheered practically her whole life. She was captain of the cheer team at Sparkman (2006 graduate) and the team won four state titles and three national championships.

Three former Jets are cheering in college now. Sutton Parker (Alabama) and Lizzie Marlow (South Alabama) are on all girl squads. Lexi Russell is at Wallace State cheering co-ed. Wallace State is the top feeder program for co-ed cheerleaders in Alabama to transfer to an SEC school.