HART, Michigan — A cheerleading squad in a small town on the West Michigan lakeshore is making big waves.
Hart High School’s cheer team is heading to the state championships during an undefeated season after taking home another title on Friday.
“I was fighting back the tears myself because I knew they just won the district title," said coach Jennifer Hlady on their performance.
Hlady founded the school's competitive cheer squad in 2007, knowing there would be interest from students. She says this season feels like all her hopes for the program are coming to fruition.
“Sometimes you just get these things that fuel your fire," she said.
For the girls, walking off the mat after their performance on Friday was a moment they’ll remember for a lifetime.
“I just gave it my all. And just deep down I felt like, this is it. Like we did it," said senior Jenna Hanks.
In true small town fashion, the seniors get to compete with their friends since childhood by their sides for the final time.
“It kind of doesn't even feel real," said Hanks.
Win or lose, they just feel lucky to have each other.
“These girls see me on my roughest days, they see me when I'm hurt or when I'm sick or when I'm just not having a good day. And they are really there for me,” said sophomore Lexie Bethnienhuis.
If they can take number one on Thursday, it’ll be the school's first-ever state title in cheerleading, and their coaches say there's no one more deserving to make history than this crew of girls.
"Obviously, I do like winning. But like, I come to practice like for these girls like, I don't want to let them down. So, I just always come and do my best no matter how I feel," said senior Avery Ramsayer.
They know all the hard work and hours of practicing are worth it for this moment.
"We're out-scoring teams just because they put their heart and soul into every single thing they could possibly do," said gymnastics instructor and choreographer Markaya Ashley.
Their coaches agree the long nights and extra hours were worthwhile to see the look on their team’s face when they’ve won.
"That's the most rewarding part for me," said head coach Ashleigh Andritsis.
While the coaches say the girls owe all their success to their own determination, their squad says they couldn't do it without the coaches, parents and school community that worked so hard to bring them to this point.
“They're definitely like one of my biggest motivators, because I don't want to disappoint them. And I want to bring it all for them," said junior Jasmyne Villanueva.
No matter how their season ends, the Hart High School cheer team just feels thankful to compete with a group of girls who put the ‘power’ in girl power.
"We're gonna have fun as a team. That's for sure," said junior Athena Thocher.
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