On January 24th, the PHS Cheer Squad and Dance team competed at the State Spirit competition in Casper, Wyoming. Cheer competed in the 3A Gameday and 4A Co-Ed stunt divisions and Dance competed in the 3A Jazz and Hip-Hop divisions.

They competed against many teams and have been practicing since last year in order to give their best effort. This competition even had an All-State performance that cheerleaders and dancers try out to be a part of. Two dancers from Powell made All-State, senior Caitlin Belmont and sophomore Cayleigh Douzenis.

“Winning our division was truly such an achievement that I believe was well deserved,” Douzenis said. “The dance team has worked incredibly hard, with some dancers even starting out with zero experience. In addition to that, I, along with our captain Caitlin Belmont, got to be a part of All-State Dance. That was such an honor that I cannot believe I had the chance to be a part of. It just shows how hard work truly does pay off.”

Cheer ended up winning third behind Lovell and Mountain View in their Gameday division. Then, they won third again in their 4A Co-Ed stunt division behind Rock Springs and Cheyenne South. Their coach, Vicki Walsh, was also awarded 3A Coach of the Year.

“It was really fun to see the dance team winning again,” senior cheerleader JJ Gardener said. “Then us placing third in both our routines. That’s definitely the highest we’ve ranked overall in my four years, and it just felt like the best routines we’ve ever performed, and I’m really proud of it all.”

Dance got to take home Powell’s first-ever state title for Jazz. They won first in their Jazz competition against Lyman and Lovell and then got third in hip-hop behind Cokeville and Lovell. 

“My state experience was amazing,” freshman dancer Alyson Morrow said. “I loved how connected and supportive everyone was. I was able to learn so much from my team and we all worked together helping us win.”

The State Spirit competition judges on many components. This may include difficulty, sharpness, loudness, excitement, and overall production. Of course, this differs between all divisions for cheer and dance, but many agree about the level of hard work.

“Our Co-Ed stunt routine this year had a lot of components and needed to be nailed perfectly,” junior cheerleader Luci Dees said. “We placed third in both and I was super proud of the team. I wish people understood that cheer is more than just yelling and dancing, it consists of mentality really. Constantly being happy and energized and ready to entertain the crowd is not easy. State cheer is such a different aspect compared to sideline cheer. There are so many different things you need to focus on. It’s not just yelling and smiling, it’s having a presence that gets everyone excited to be there.”

Dancers agree comparatively.

“I want the general public to respect dance as a sport, and give credit where credit is due,” Douzenis said. “Dancers work endless hours, always pushing themselves to their max. It can be difficult on the mind and the body, and some of the effort goes unnoticed. I hope that this State win will help the public notice the dance team as a true athletic sport.”