Tickets punched: Lake Orion, Stoney Creek advance to cheer state finals

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

LAKE ORION — For eight straight seasons, Lake Orion won regional titles in competitive cheer. That streak came between 1995 and 2003.

After several years of drought, the Dragons came through with their best performance of the season Saturday to win its first regional crown in eight years.

Lake Orion, which had several high finishes throughout the regular season, rose to occasion Saturday on its home mats to win a Division 1 regional title in fine fashion. The Dragons put together a three-round total of 812.2696, which was also a season-high, and topped a deep, 12-team field that featured five state-ranked teams.

The top five schools all finished above the 800-points barrier, a rarity in the sport. The top four schools all advanced to the Division 1 state finals, which will take place at 6 p.m. March 4 at the DeltaPlex in Grand Rapids.

“This was our first regional title since 2003, but it’s the first one where Rochester was in the same regional as us,” said Lake Orion coach Nancy DeAvila. “All of those in the 1990s and early 2000s, we won the (northern) regional and Rochester was in a different region. It’s a lot harder now with only two regions in each division.”

Lake Orion had the highest Division 1 score on the day between the two regions and the second-highest regional score in all of Michigan combining the our divisions and eight total regionals. Division 2 Gibraltar Carlson had the highest total of the day at 812.6320.

Rochester Stoney Creek, the defending state champions, finished a close second with 811.1720 points, while Southgate Anderson (807.3336) and Sterling Heights Stevenson (800.9042) grabbed the other state qualifying berths.

“The girls stepped up and had just a great day,” added DeAvila. “We knew it was going to be really tough. Stoney Creek, Southgate Anderson, (Sterling Heights) Stevenson and Rochester all have great teams.”

Lake Orion posted a 234.2 total in Round I, which was the third-highest. What helped the Dragons was a 255.6696 total in Round II, which was not only a season-high, but one of the highest second-round marks in the entire state this season.

Lake Orion’s 322.4 total in Round II was tied for second, while Stevenson’s leading 323 in the final round helped push the Titans inside the top four qualifying slots.

“That really gave us some confidence. That was our best second-round of the season,” said DeAvila.

Stone Creek, which was third at last week’s district but won the OAA Red Division title this season, put together a 234.5, 254.2720 and 322.4 performance in the three rounds to earn the runner-up slot.

The state’s longest streak came to an end, as Rochester finished fifth with 800.1456. It marks the first time since 1982 that the Falcons will not compete in the state finals, combining MHSAA and MCCA tournaments, snapping the streak at 28 years. The MHSAA first adopted the sport in 1994.

Rochester had an eight-point penalty in the final round, which cost them a berth, as the Falcons finished less than a point behind Stevenson in the final standings.

Southgate Anderson’s third-place showing included totals of 230.6, 255.1336 and 321.6, while Stevenson amassed 230.2, 247.7042 and 323.0 to slide into the fourth spot.

“I think everyone knew how good of a regional this was, so it’s a great feeling that we won this tough regional,” said DeAvila.

“I think what’s impressive for us is this is the 18^th year that the MHSAA has (sponsored) a tournament and we’ve made it I think 14 times,” said DeAvila. “I think seeing our score and knowing we won a very tough regional will help give us some confidence (going into the state finals).

The past few times we went, we were just there. We didn’t think we would be one of the favorites,” added DeAvila. “This year, we would like to think we have a chance. Stoney Creek won last year, and not too many people thought they would win it.”

Rochester Adams finished sixth with 795.3424 points, one of the Highlanders’ highest totals in recent years. Adams posted scores of 228.1, 251.9424 and 317.2, although the Highlanders had a two-point reduction for a minor penalty in the third round.

Livonia Franklin was seventh (768.9304) in the final team standings, followed by Warren Cousino (766.8980), Plymouth Canton (766.6800), Livonia Stevenson (760.9768), Macomb Dakota (747.8012) and Utica Ford (745.1856).

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Tags: Competitive Cheer, competitive cheer regional

Category: Lake Orion, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek