The trophies symbolic of a state championship in Maine high school cheering have been reserved for a relatively few schools in recent years, regardless of class.
Either Lewiston or Biddeford has won the Class A state title for the last seven seasons, with Biddeford winning in 2008, 2009, 2010 and again last winter and Lewiston claiming three consecutive crowns from 2011 through 2013.
Hermon holds the longest current streak of state cheering titles, regardless of class, earning the Class B championship each of the last four years, five of the last six seasons and six times in the last eight years.
Class C has been somewhat more balanced, with Eastern Maine champion Dexter pursuing its second state title in three years while Central of Corinth won it all in 2012 and 2014.
And the Class D title has belonged to Central Aroostook of Mars Hill for six of the last seven years, with only Deer Isle-Stonington briefly breaking that stranglehold in 2013.
The results may provide more of the same Saturday, when 44 cheering squads gather at the Augusta Civic Center to compete for the four state crowns up for grabs.
Competition in Classes C and B comprise the morning session that begins at 10 a.m. Class D then Class A will follow during the afternoon session scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Class A: Lewiston looms large among the favorites after winning its sixth consecutive Eastern Maine crown two weeks ago, amassing 158.8 points to edge second-place Bangor (149.6). Defending state champion Biddeford enters the meet as this year’s Western A runner-up, its total of 144.2 points two points behind new regional champion Gorham (146.2).
Eastern teams Lawrence of Fairfield, Oxford Hills of South Paris, Brewer and Brunswick and Western Maine qualifiers Noble of North Berwick, Marshwood of South Berwick, Bonny Eagle of Standish and Scarborough round out the Class A field.
Class B: Coach Kristie Reed’s Hermon squad and regional rival Ellsworth have been the top teams of recent vintage in this division, and the recent Eastern Maine competition suggested the state competition may play out in a similar fashion. Hermon surged to victory at that meet with 141 points compared to 131.6 for Ellsworth. Medomak Valley of Waldoboro totaled 133.1 points to secure its second straight Western B crown, edging runner Leavitt of Turner Center (132.6) by half a point.
Other state-meet qualifiers are Gardiner, Presque Isle, John Bapst of Bangor and Old Town from the East and Wells, Morse of Bath, Lake Region of Naples and Gray-New Gloucester from the West.
Class C: Eastern Maine has won the last five state titles in this division, with Central and Dexter preceded by Houlton in 2011 and Sumner of East Sullivan in 2010. Dexter won this year’s EM regional with 114 points, four-tenths of a point better than Bucksport with Penobscot Valley Conference champion Central third at 106.3. Dirigo of Dixfield won its first-ever Western C title, amassing 126.8 points to top second-place Madison (120.6).
Eastern teams from Orono, Houlton and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln and Western qualifiers Monmouth Academy, Lisbon, Mountain Valley of Rumford and Sacopee Valley of South Hiram complete the Class C field.
Class D: Central Aroostook is the favorite after winning the statewide regional competition by 17.9 points with its score of 106.4 points. County rival Fort Fairfield was second with 88.5, edging third-place Bangor Christian (88.4) by the smallest of margins, one-tenth of a point.
Buckfield, Machias, Penobscot Valley of Howland, Woodland and Deer Isle-Stonington also qualified for states.
