By Jasz Garrett
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School’s cheer team placed 1st and Thunder Mountain High School’s cheer team placed 2nd at the 2024 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Cheer State Championships in Anchorage on March 19, 2024.
The Ketchikan Kings were third, showing off how much talent is in Southeast Alaska.
For JDHS, it was their fourth state title in a row.
“After losing four years ago, we got runner-up. So, definitely, it was a goal to win state and get our state title back. Then doing so, it just kind of keeps going. You’re gonna maintain that. So, there is pressure, I’m not gonna lie, there’s pressure to stay on top and it’s not easy to do that,” JDHS Head Coach Carlene Nore said. “They always bring some great teams to competition. Teams like Ketchikan and Thunder Mountain always make us work really hard. So, with the seniors, they never lost during their four years. I have a good group of kids that have been there since freshman year.”
The JDHS cheer team only had 13 athletes on their team this year, with 7 being seniors. Coach Nore said this team was one of the smallest she has coached.
She’s looking forward to combining the TMHS and JDHS cheer teams next school year to have double the numbers.
She added that their state routine is a variation of the routine they put on for nationals. They opened with their cheers, incorporating signs and pom-poms, trying to get the crowd to engage with them. Since they are a co-ed team and entered for nationals in the co-ed division, they focused on co-ed stunts. They opened with partnering skills and then a pyramid. After that, they moved into a jump and dance section.
“Our guys on our team just absolutely have so much energy and showmanship that they were really showcased in that section of our routine,” Coach Nore said.
Following that, they showed off their elite skills including a variety of group stunts, and then they ended with another pyramid.
JDHS senior Ryan Shattuck and junior Mila Griffin were selected to the All-State Tournament Cheer team. For regions, the all-tournament cheerleaders were Shattuck, Griffin, Yela Cristobal, and Emily Delgado.
“I really feel like with the group of kids we continuously have on the team that it’s consistency. We stay consistent to how we practice, how we work out, accountability, teamwork,” Coach Nore said. “So, I feel that with their dedication, we’ve been really successful over the years.”
For TMHS, it was their first time going to state in over 10 years. It was also their highest placement ever. To place 2nd was beyond the wildest dreams of TMHS Head Coach Stephany Day. She believed without a doubt in the talent of the team but knew they had tough competition.
She said it was challenging as the coaching staff changed last year and there were many new cheerleaders on the team. On top of that, there was the news that the high school cheer teams would merge next school year under the Juneau School Board’s consolidation plan.
But Coach Day had already set their goals last season. She said she didn’t care what it took—they were going this year.
“We wanted to have a team that is supportive of one another and where people want to be there, where people want to work hard. We thought that our success and winning would come after that, and it did,” she said. “Their practices are three hours at a time. So, they practice three hours a day, four days a week. We also throughout the season had 20 some odd games that we would go cheer at. In addition to fundraising and all the activities. So, they put the time in. But they stayed focused that we’re a team working towards this goal of regions and state.”
TMHS junior cheer captain Tenlee Roemer shared how it felt to place 2nd.
“It was a bunch of emotions because we weren’t expecting to place that high. Especially with it being our final season as Falcon cheerleaders, because next year we’re gonna have to be JDHS cheerleaders,” Roemer said. “It felt good because we didn’t really love how we did during regions.”
TMHS senior cheer captain Katelyn Kohuth agreed that regions were challenging. She said performing for a basketball game and doing a half-time routine is mentally and physically draining. But at state, they had the chance to relax before their half-time routine.
“I think our spirit, like our energy within us, was just so much higher. And it was really fun to just hype each other up. Okay, this is like our last time ever doing something like this as a Falcon and as a whole before we combine with JD next year,” she said. “I think that helped us a lot too. Just knowing that it was just our last time going on that floor, especially like our first time ever being at state for a long time.”
TMHS junior cheer captain Samantha Day said it was amazing for Southeast to be in the spotlight.
“It was really cool though that Juneau won the top two, which was really cool because we’re going to be one team next year. So, that’s really exciting. And it was also really cool that Southeast is the top three teams. So Southeast took home the top three places, which was really cool,” Day said. “Like Tenlee said, we were shocked that’s how well we did especially after regions, but it was really well deserved. And it felt great to go out with a bang for our last Falcon season.”
TMHS junior cheer captain Gracie Kohuth said she’s excited to continue with cheer once the merger happens.
“l look up to JD, I look up to Yela and Mila, the top flyers, because I want to be as good as them. And I’m not saying that I’m not, but I look up to them so much. And I want to be that person for someone else. I’ll just try and be the best I can be,” G. Kohuth said. “I’ll also try and stay positive because positivity is also key on a team. Because you’re spending every single day together. And sometimes you get frustrated with each other. But you can’t have that in cheer. When something goes wrong, just lift each other up and say, you’ve got this, and just keep that positivity going through.”
K. Kohuth said since the Huskies football team already combines high schools, there is unity among cheerleaders. She thinks good sportsmanship will support the transition.
“It was really cool at state and regions seeing the support between one another. You could tell that both TM and JD are close. We all are friends with people on JD,” she said. “They cheered us on so loud when we got announced second, and we cheered them on so loud when they got announced first. So, I think everyone is just really excited to finally unite, and just be a really strong team.”
Day agreed, saying they already know they have chemistry with the JDHS cheerleaders. On the day they found out about the merger, they had a basketball game to cheer at.
“When we came to the game, we were all really emotional. And we’re like, okay, this is it. Just having JD come in, and they were just like, we’re so sorry about this. They were there supporting us. It just helped put you at ease. Like our school’s closing. It’s sad, but we’re gonna be okay,” she said. “We already have these connections with JD. We’re already a family, and it’s just gonna become a bigger family.”
The junior cheer captains will bring their leadership skills to JDHS next year.
Coach Day said that she’s proud of both their state placement and how the students are coping with the news of the school merger.
“They have such positive attitudes. Not to say that it’s not sad to see what we’ve built be done. But what we’ve built was strong and good,” she said. “It’s bittersweet.”
“A big thanks to the Juneau community for all of their support. Our kids sold raffle tickets. We washed cars. We had bake sales. We had spaghetti feeds. We had dinner. We served at several events,” Coach Nore said. “Absolutely could not have done it without the community support.”
It’s never too late to try a new sport—both cheer coaches encouraged students to try out in the fall for cheer when basketball season begins. Contact the School Activities Office to get in touch!
