Sparkman High Cheer Win World Championship
ORLANDO, Fla.- The Sparkman High cheer squad won the UCA 2019 World Championship at the event held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. The Senators won the Varsity Co-Ed Division to defend the title they won in 2018.
The Sparkman Junior Varsity Co-Ed squad took third place in the competition while Liberty Middle School placed sixth in the Junior High Division.
Each of the three squads also participated in the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships which were held in conjunction with the World event. The Sparkman varsity took sixth place, the JV was fifth and Liberty did not advance to the finals. In addition, James Clemens and Bob Jones also had squads partake in the Nationals, but neither advanced to the finals.
“We really worked hard all season and we had three performances in the World event,” said Lisa Aderholt, head cheer coach for Sparkman. “There was an issue with the music not being played loud enough at the beginning of our program, which made it sort of stressful for our athletes, but they came through and hit our routine near perfection. They came through everything this season and persevered.”
The Senators locked up the World title by 14 points over second place Hudson High and third place Crestview High to win back-to-back championships. The 20-member varsity squad has three boys and the junior varsity team had 19 total members.
Teams representing numerous countries including Canada, Costa Rica, China, Mexico, and England made the travels to Orlando for the event.
The squad roster for the varsity Senators included assistant coach Ben Park, along with seniors- Eric Bullard, Alexxandria Burnette, Abigail Johnson, Carolyn Scruggs-Webster, Sarah Sipes, Carly Turvin, Walton Vaughn; juniors- Emmalee Anderson, Amari Burton, Vivian McVay, LaTana Sparrow; sophomores- Laura Damewood, James Johnson, Mya Weber; freshmen- Sydney Carter, Jamiyah Dozier, Jada Gibson, Grace Ingram, Chloe Jackson and Senna Roberts.
Squad members for the junior Senators included Anna Duvall, Dylan Ratliff, Trevor Hoener, Raven Carter, Kalyb Jordan, Melissa Bradford, Jordan Clemmons, Tyler Vickery, Eve Weber, Jacob Bannerman, Quinton Billups, Samara Brown, Madi Brooks, Bree Crutcher, Ella Jackson, Janiyah Murray, Allie Ocampo, Josie Shallbetter and Lizzy Wilson.
Hannah Stockman, in her first year as head coach of the Lions with help from five-year assistant Blake Lane, had her squad in tip-top shape for the big stage. The Liberty squad consisted of Sarah Spickard, Perri McMahn, Ella Thomas, Samantha Rhodes, Madisyn Burgess, Paris Dryer, Kiersten Ratcliff, Kenze Achenbach, Hailey Fronckowiak, Amelia Fronckowiak, Allie Hoover, Katy Benningfield, Ashlyn Newberry, Alyssa Tucker, Kenzie Payne, Kaylee Tucker, Evelyn Edger, Julia Ingalls, Lauren Hewell, Malikah Stowe and Braelynn Etheridge.
