Diligence, talent mark cheering squads

VARSITY CHEERLEADERS:

FRONT — Jennifer Lewis, Rachel Jones, Kristen Hughes, Whitney Crane, Brittany Shapiro, Melanie Johnson.

BACK — Brittany Sellars, Anne Brooks, Jessie Hansard, Lindsey Cox, Aimee Foushee, Mandi Wells.

JV CHEERLEADERS:

FRONT — Nicky Rust, Emily Penton, Shannon Houston, Lindsey Sanders, Brittany Tidwell, Annie Penton, Kirsten Miller, Arieanne Bewarder.

BACK — Jeniffer Preo, Heather Hyatt, Tiffanie Vasquez, Mary McKennon, Jodi Smith, Megan Brumfield, Nicole Watanabe, Cassandra Kennedy.

“There are 28 very talented girls on this year’s Yosemite High School varsity and junior varsity squads,” says Laura Dalpoggetto, YHS cheerleading advisor/coach.

She praises them for being hard working and dedicated.

The varsity, composed of 12 girls, has Jessica Hansard as captain, and co-captains are Mandi Wells and Brittany Shapiro, all in 11th grade. Coach Dalpoggetto says they are working to make sure this is going to be a great year, for themselves and their squads.

Jessica, who has been cheering since fourth grade, says enthusiastically, “I’m looking forward to an awesome year — leading our squad with the help of my co-captains.”

Mandi is organizing the Hollywood Christmas Parade for the varsity, which was honored by being invited to perform at University of California, Santa Barbara, where the girls attended camp. Members were named “a superior squad by the camp staff,” says their coach.

“Cheerleading is so much fun and is a great way to show school spirit,” says Brittany.

For the 16 members of the junior varsity, there are two captains and two co-captains:

Megan Brumfield and Mary McKennon are captains, and co-captains are Jodi Smith and Arieanne Bewarder. All four are in their second year of cheerleading for YHS.

Although the JV squad is very young — 10 of the 16 girls are freshmen — it is composed of talented members, who have come to work well together.

Says their coach, “Their performance at the beginning-of-the-year rally was the best for a new JV squad that I have seen in a while. Give them a few months and they will be nailing everything.”

Megan says, “In cheer you make friends and work hard. Not very many people give us the credit we deserve; we work hard on what we do, but we have fun doing it.”

Comments Mary, “This year’s squad is strong and already has the moves to succeed, so this year should be phenomenal!”

“Cheerleading changed my life,” says Jodi. “I stay active, have fun and meet tons of new people. I love it!”

Arieanne says, “I am looking forward to another successful year. We work hard, but we still have fun, and this year will be better than last.”

On Saturday [September 15], both squads will walk in the Heritage Days parade. By then they will have cheered at their first football game against Mendota High on September 7.

The cheerleaders would like to voice their support of all YHS teams and will be cheering for volleyball and basketball, too.