OHS cheerleaders relish 2nd place finish

They've got spirit, yes they do.

And the Odessa High cheerleaders proved just that by taking second in the large coed division of the National Cheerleaders Association nationals contest in Dallas. The team also received an overall award for superior showmanship.

"Our biggest improvement was just the score from last year," coach Lauren Wall said.

The team received a rating of 8.92 on a scale of 10 to get second place instead of third like 2007.

The preliminary competition occurred on Sunday, and the finals were on Monday.

Cheerleaders said their performance in the prelims included several mistakes, which made the second-place finish even more of a pleasant surprise.

"It makes me feel good. Walking off that mat was the best feeling ever," senior captain Tonya Beason said.

Wall said the preliminary results amount to 20 percent of the final score, and point deductions lowered the initial score. During the finals, the team beat the squad that got first place in the division.  but OHS ended up taking second because of its prelim performance.

"We came back from a huge deficit," senior Chris Berger said.

According to Wall, the showmanship award is not based on scores, but it shows which team the contest judges thought provided an overall great performance during the two days of competition. The judges consider the energy and routine of each team.

Berger said team members spent time at the North Park Mall after the finals to celebrate their win. Parent chaperone Jo Glenn said the mall provided some downtime in an otherwise busy time of practicing and performing. For her, watching the girls perform at the Dallas Convention Center was surreal.

"It was almost like it is in the movies. You could feel the tension in the air, but then we met our goals the second day, doing great," Glenn said.

Her daughter Melissa is a junior captain. She said she felt like the second day of competition helped the team redeem itself while becoming more close-knit.

"We already were close as a team, but we got to talk and encourage each other more," Melissa said.

Jo Glenn said the team received many accolades from other teams and their supporters.

"We got so many comments on the way the kids performed and their look. It blew a lot of people away," she said.

Beason said the cheerleaders spent about three months preparing for the contest. Practices took center stage in her life.

"It's going to be weird. I won't be sure what to do after school or on weekend evenings," Beason said.

>> Tonya Beason, senior.
>> Keanna Butler, sophomore.
>> Shonna Carter, sophomore.
>> Kevin Cook, freshman.
>> Edward Flotte, senior.
>> Melissa Glenn, junior.
>> Brianne Godlevski, sophomore.
>> Rebecca Gonzalez, sophomore.
>> Justinne Hamilton, senior.
>> Alyssa Hinojos, senior.
>> J.J. Hill, senior.
>> Jackie Johnson, junior.
>> Shannon Lay, junior.
>> Tomas Menchaca, sophomore.
>> Chelsea Mobley, sophomore.
>> Erica Norris, sophomore.
>> Whitney Price, senior.
>> Luis Santillan, junior.
>> Lindsey Speer, junior.
>> Tyree Strambler, sophomore.
>> Debby Thangam, sophomore.
>> Shelby Tippit, senior.