This past weekend, Bethel Park added another WPIAL Championship to the trophy case. This time in form of a varsity competitive cheerleading WPIAL Class AAA Championship.

The girls traveled to Hempfield High School on Saturday, Jan. 6 and beat out 20 other schools. They were also the highest scoring small varsity team (15 or fewer members), and they received the highest score out of the 31 teams competing that day. They will now move onto the PIAA competition as defending PIAA Champions.

“It feels like all the hard work has finally paid off,” said junior cheerleader Gabby Miller.

Sophomore Riley Evans commented on how crazy it is, that the program has come so far in such little time. “To win a WPIAL title is beyond what we ever thought was possible,” she said.

Both Miller and Evans commented on how they feel as if there is a stronger connection within the team this year, a very vital part of this sport.

“We prepared a lot more this year than in years past,” said Miller.

Evans said it was the little things that helped. “We did a lot of extra things to help in all areas of our routine, but we stayed positive through our practices all week and tried to be confident and keep our consistency up.”

These little things included crossfit, extra tumbling practice, recovery therapy, and even hiring a tumbling coach to get their scores up.

As their nerves tensed up before the competition, they suddenly got focused and in their own worlds during the routine.

“I was very focused on hitting stunts,” commented Miller. “After we hit [them] I was full of excitement.”

When everything went well, Evans said that she remembered “having so much fun and being so excited.”

Next up for grabs is the PIAA title. Evans and Miller say the key is their connection but they cannot stop practicing now.

The girls travel to States, January 19-20, in Hershey, Pa.

Good luck to the varsity competitive cheerleading team on their pursuit of another PIAA title!