AUGUSTA, Maine — Lewiston left itself a high ceiling for Monday’s regional cheerleading championship. One week earlier, the Blue Devils struggled through a three-minute routine that was well below its own standards, even as they won their program’s seventh consecutive KVAC title on the same Augusta Civic Center floor.
Consider the roof raised and the ceiling smashed to smithereens.
Performing with the boundless energy, ebullient personality and nearly flawless execution the crowds have come to expect, Lewiston locked up its sixth successive Class A East crown.
Lewiston finished with 158.8 of a possible 175 points, enjoying a much more comfortable margin over runner-up Bangor (149.6) than at KVACs, where the Rams would have dethroned the Devils if not for a penalty deduction.
“Hitting a clean routine. That was the goal for tonight,” Lewiston coach Lynnette Morency said. “It still wasn’t clean. Cleaner, but not cleanest. They’ve got more in them. We’re going to work on a lot more little stuff between now and states.”
Lawrence High of Fairfield took third with 133.1 points, followed by fellow state championship qualifiers Oxford Hills of South Paris (127), Brewer (123.9) and Brunswick (123).
Hampden Academy (122.6), Edward Little of Auburn (120.7), Mt. Ararat of Topsham (111.7), Mt. Blue of Farmington (110.9) and Cony of Augusta (107.2) rounded out the field.
Tia Cortes and Andrea Bonin are the only two seniors for Lewiston, which will bid for its seventh state title in 13 years Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
“People think it comes easy for us, but it doesn’t come easy at all,” Cortes said. “We kill ourselves at practice every single time to get where we need to get.”
A different brand of tradition continued in Class C West, where Dirigo of Dixfield — a school known for its recent hold over regional and state hardware in so many sports — hoisted the regional cheering trophy for the first time.
Madison (120.6) took runner-up honors and advances to the states along with Monmouth Academy (119.1), Lisbon (117.8), Mountain Valley of Rumford (107.6) and Sacopee Valley of South Hiram (95.1).
Other participants were: St. Dominic Academy of Auburn (90.4), Boothbay Region (86.4), Traip Academy of Kittery (83.3) and Catherine McAuley of Portland (70.2).
Medomak Valley of Waldoboro repeated as Class B West champion, overcoming 10 points worth of deductions to edge Leavitt of Turner by a half-point, 133.1-132.6.
Wells took third place with 123.7 points, followed by Morse of Bath (108.9), Lake Region of Naples (107) and Gray-New Gloucester (104.9).
Other participants were Freeport (101.2), Fryeburg (94.8), Lincoln Academy of Newcastle (91), Poland (87.8), Oak Hill of Sabattus (86.1), Greely of Cumberland (84.4) and Spruce Mountain of Jay (75.4).