Make way for the new perennial power.
Now, more than a year after its first county title in Fall 2023, and four years apart from capturing its first state and region titles, Glen Burnie cheerleading defended the Anne Arundel County winter crown before a packed crowd at Chesapeake on Monday. The event was moved after a stabbing at Meade on Thursday, the original day and site.
Despite the change and the pressure surrounding maintaining the top spot, Glen Burnie felt no stress going into the meet.
“Of course, we had a practice for the weekend leading up to it, but outside of that, we just did the same thing,” coach Jami McCoy said. “Repetition is key.”
While the bulk of Glen Burnie’s routine didn’t radically change from its fall performances – which earned it second place at counties but first at regions and states – the Gophers revamped its opening act. Glen Burnie redecorated its pyramid and it seemed to impress the judges.
Along with the pyramid, which earned a county-high 38.6 score, the victors excelled in their tumbling technique to score 39.4. Nothing they did landed above their own standard, McCoy noted, but more than the others on the floor on Monday.
It had to be, she said, for they weren’t going to get much help in other categories. While Glen Burnie netted a flawless 40 in tosses, dance and cheer, it barely edged out the rest – especially in degree of difficulty for its tosses.
“A lot of people got a max score, which doesn’t normally happen,” McCoy said.
Meade, which claimed the fall county title for the first time in program history, squeaked out second place with 116.8 points over Chesapeake, which scored 116.3. The Mustangs’ saving grace was the cleanliness of its performance, earning zero deductions while Chesapeake suffered one point off its total.
Northeast placed fourth overall (115.85), South River finished fifth (110.5) and Old Mill took sixth (105.35).
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