The Powell High School Cheer team made history March 6 as the first PHS cheer team to win in the 3A Game Day division at the State Spirit Competition in Casper.

The all-girls team went up against nine teams and placed first with 86.25 points. Mountain View came in second with 84.45, Lyman third with 83.45, Douglas fourth with 81.70 and Worland fifth at 81.55.

The state titled came after the girls earned three awards during the season at the Game Day Competition in Laramie, and winning first place in both Game Day and All Girls Stunt in the Heart Mountain Regional Competition in Cody.

“Drake once said ‘started from the bottom now we here,” junior Kalli Ashby said. “And we [the team] can relate.”

For many of the girls it was surreal.

“We went to Pizza Ranch and were given free arcade cards to play a few games,” junior Kaitlyn Decker said. “And they took a picture of us to post on their Facebook page.

“My roommates and I stayed up a little and we just talked about how crazy it was that we won, we were scared that when we woke up in the morning it would all be a lie.”

Along with the girls winning the state title, Coach Mrs. Vicki Walsh won the Coach of the Year award. The girls said they were very proud of their head coach and very grateful to Coach Walsh and her assistant coach Cindy Jacobs.

“When we went out to dinner the next day at Texas Roadhouse we told the staff that they won Coach of the Year and asked them to celebrate it,” Decker said. “They tried to tell the staff we won state but we said, ‘No, this is about you’.”

Added Coach Walsh: “I am always very nervous the week before state … and have a lot of butterflies and sleepless nights. I just want everything to go well and hope the girls feel good about their performance.This time I really did feel like we gave it our all and it paid off.”

Coach Walsh admitted she felt anxious once the names started being announced and she didn’t hear Powell’s name. Once Powell was announced, everyone was ecstatic.

“I knew the team had performed very well; I definitely felt like it was our best performance,” Coach Walsh said. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up but I knew it was special,”

“I was just so happy and felt so much joy knowing all our hard work had paid off.  I couldn’t have asked for a more special moment and was so proud of all the girls and their hard work and dedication.”

Coach Jacobs said the girls exceeded expectations.

“I was so excited for the team; as a coach I always want the team to do well regardless of the outcome from the judges,” Coach Cindy Jacobs said. “ [They] did such a fantastic job and I am so very proud of [them]. This year has been amazing and I am sad to see it end.”

Once the girls returned to Powell, the fire department and many community members joined in welcoming them home and escorting them to the high school.

“It was definitely a moment I’m gonna remember for a long time,” senior Gabri Lundberg said. “I’m so glad to have experienced it with all the girls on the team. It was a really fun experience.”