The Ellsworth High School cheerleading team will be looking for its fourth consecutive state Class B title on Saturday when the state championships are held at the Augusta Civic Center.
Lisbon/Hebron will be seeking its fifth straight state crown in Class C and Lewiston will try to win its fourth in five years in Class A.
The Class B will kick off Saturday’s competition at 10 a.m. followed by Class C at 1 p.m. and Class A at 4 p.m.
Ellsworth captured last year’s state title by a comfortable 5.6 points over Gray/New Gloucester with Hermon coming in third.
The Eagles had been runners-up in Class B in six of their first eight seasons under co-head coaches Melanie Fox and Kat Archer before breaking through for their first title in 2023.
Ellsworth captured last year’s state title with a roster that included only two seniors.
And the Eagles will enter the state championships coming off a win in the Class B North regional competition in Sanford last weekend.
Gardiner/Hall-Dale was the B South regional winner.
Lisbon captured a state championship on its own in 2022, then combined with St. Dominic’s of Auburn for the next three and is now with Hebron Academy.
St. Dom’s closed last spring due to enrollment and financial challenges.
Lisbon has won seven of the last 11 state championships in Class C. It won last year’s title by 7.4 points over Bucksport. Houlton/Greater Houlton Christian Academy and Dexter tied for third.
Like Ellsworth, Lisbon/Hebron is coming into the state finals off a regional championship in Class C South. Houlton/GHCA was the Class C North winner.
Lewiston has won nine Class A titles in 15 years including a narrow 1.6-point victory over Oxford Hills of South Paris a year ago. Bangor was third.
But the Blue Devils finished third in the Class A North regional behind winner Oxford Hills and runnerup Bangor last weekend.
Bonny Eagle of Standish was the Class A South regional titlist.
Joining Ellsworth and Gardiner/Hall-Dale in the field in Class B will be Hermon, Lawrence of Fairfield, Waterville/Messalonskee, Presque Isle, Belfast, Caribou, Mount Desert Island of Bar Harbor, Poland, Medomak Valley of Waldoboro, Oceanside of Rockland, Leavitt of Turner, Mountain Valley of Rumford, Erskine Academy of South China and Spruce Mountain of Jay.
In addition to Lewiston, Oxford Hills, Bangor and Bonny Eagle, the A field is made up of Scarborough/Falmouth, Thornton Academy of Saco, Hampden Academy, Gorham/Cheverus, Skowhegan, Sanford, Brewer, Noble of North Berwick, Mt. Blue of Farmington, South Portland, Deering of Portland and Massabesic of Waterboro.
Lisbon/Hebron and Houlton/GHCA will be joined in the C grouping by Bucksport, Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, Central of Corinth, Dexter, Penobscot Valley of Howland, Lee Academy, Central Aroostook of Mars Hill and Narraguagus of Harrington, Winslow, Orono, Monmouth Academy, Dirigo of Dixfield, Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield and Oak Hill of Sabattus.