Newsday's Top 50 Long Island cheerleaders for the 2024-25 competitive season
From left: Olivia Salmon, Ian Licavoli, Gabriella Fleischer.
Newsday's annual look at the top Long Island high school cheerleaders, listed in alphabetical order, as the 2024-25 competitive season gets underway.
Kylee Alaimo, Miller Place, Flyer/Main base, Sr.
Alaimo, a four-year flyer and main base, brings elite tumbling and stunting and unmatched spirit to the squad.
Julia Avena, Wantagh, Main/Side base, Sr.
The masterful tumbler competes with a full-twisting layout and excels as both a main and side base.
Alessia Bartholomew, Northport, Flyer, Sr.
The senior captain displays equally impressive tumbling and stunting abilities that make her a powerful presence on the mat.
Kacey Berger, Sachem East, Flyer, Soph.
An eye-catching performer since the eighth grade, Berger flies in all of Sachem East’s elite stunts and pyramids and performs the highest-level tumbling passes.
Lana Blowes, Westhampton, Back spot/Side base, Sr.
The four-year member has based and backed elite level skills such as low to high tick tock full arounds, back handspring ups, ball ups and full ups.
McKenna Broderick, Sayville, Back spot, Sr.
Broderick performs elite tumbling passes such as roundoff handspring full and standing hand-to-hand full, along with super elite spinning, inversion and release skills. McKenna has based, flown and backed for the Sayville squad.
Cameron Buckstein, Sachem East, Side base, Soph.
In her third year on the squad, Buckstein will continue to showcase her athleticism as one of the squad’s most elite tumblers and side bases.
Ava Castellano, Massapequa, Back spot, Sr.
Castellano can back the most difficult skills and pyramids and adds strong tumbling skills emphasized by their height and power.
Vanessa Coriolon, Harborfields, Flyer/base, Sr.
Cariolon contributes tumbling skills to her squad but shines at the top as a flyer and a base.
Kaitlyn Fioretti, Shoreham-Wading River, Jr., Flyer
The four-year member is one of the squad’s main flyers who also adds a wide range of impressive tumbling skills on the mat.
Gabriella Fleischer, Sachem North, Side base, Sr.
The returning Newsday All-Long Island first team selection has been on the squad since her freshman season when Sachem North won a county and state title. Fleischer can also back spot and is one of the squad’s most elite tumblers.
Ava Gadbois, Massapequa, Base, Sr.
Gadbois is an elite tumbler and stunter, performing skills such as a roundoff back handspring to a full.
Ella Gibbons, East Islip, Flyer, Sr.
Gibbons has consistently pushed the limits since she was pulled up to the squad as a sophomore, performing elite skills as both a flyer and tumbler.
Mya Grayson, Freeport, Main base, Jr.
The Newsday All-Long Island second-teamer eturns, performing super elite skills and tumbling with the highest execution.
Nicole Hernandez, Freeport, Back spot, Sr.
The five-year member and two-year captain performs super elite stunts at the highest level.
Lily Jonas, Connetquot, Side Base/Flyer, Sr.
The six-year member and captain competes with elite tumbling and super elite stunting skills.
Hayley Kern, Seaford, Main base, Sr.
The four-year varsity starter can tumble and hit any and all super elite stunts. Kern is a five-time county and four-time state champion.
Caitlyn King, East Meadow, Main base/Side base, Sr.
King executes super elite skills both in stunting and tumbling with strong jumps and infectious energy.
Jasmin Lawrence, Farmingdale, Back spot, Jr.
The three-time county champion and state runner-up stands out for her exceptional skills in both stunting and tumbling.
Maria Laucella, Kellenberg, Base, Jr.
Laucella competes with an elite tumbling skill set and powerhouse stunting ability as a base.
Ian Licavoli, Ward Melville, Coed stunter, Jr.
The three-time county champion also helped Ward Melville win a state title at both the Game Day (2024) and Competitive (2023) championships and competes with super elite Coed stunting skills.
Hailey Loddigs, Mount Sinai, Flyer, Sr.
The four-year member is a three-time county and state champion known for her remarkable tumbling abilities.
Lizzie Marino, Floyd, Flyer, Jr.
The elite tumbler executes standing skills such as a toe-touch full and running skills including an Arabian through to full. Marino is also a flyer with stunts including rewinds, hand in hands, switch up full ups, and high-to-high full arounds.
Natalia Mendolia, East Islip, Back spot, Sr.
The two-time captain is a powerhouse on the squad, executing elite skills as a back spot.
Lanette Mickel, Longwood, Main base, Sr.
The two-year captain excels at both elite stunting and tumbling for Longwood.
Claudia Modica, Kings Park, Flyer, Sr.
The captain and four-year member shines on the mat with her impressive tumbling, including a roundoff back handspring full, and stunting skills.
Brooke Napolitano, Mount Sinai, Main base, Sr.
The five-year member and three-time county and state champion performs the highest level of stunting and tumbling skills. Napolitano earned Newsday All-Long Island second-team honors.
Cara Nuzzi, Smithtown West, Main base/Flyer, Jr.
Nuzzi has been a vital member of the squad since the eighth grade. Her athleticism is evident in her elite tumbling and stunting in multiple positions.
Marisa Patsatsis, Seaford, Back spot, Sr.
Patsatsis can back all of her team’s super elite skills and can save almost anything from falling. She also performs super elite tumbling skills and is a five-time county and four-time state champion.
Ava Pohalski, East Meadow, Main base, Sr.
Pohalski makes super elite stunts look easy with her sharp motions and fluidity.
Olivya Regan, Sachem East, Main base, Jr.
Regan has main based every elite stunt and pyramid for Sachem East for the past three years. She also is one of the elite tumblers and has competed with a roundoff backhand spring full and standing tucks.
Olivia Riegel, Ward Melville, Base, Jr.
Riegel continues to master super elite stunting skills for the squad she helped win three county championships and a state title in Game Day (2024) and Competitive (2023) seasons.
Reese Rogers, Rocky Point, Side base, Sr.
A versatile member of the squad, Rogers has excelled as a back spot and side base. Her talent can be seen in both stunting and tumbling.
Liliana Romano, Sachem North, Flyer, Soph.
One of the squad’s most elite flyers and tumblers, Romano added to the squad’s success in the Game Day fall season.
Callie Russell, Rocky Point, Flyer, Sr.
Russell’s skills as a flyer and tumbler make her a key figure in Rocky Point’s squad.
Tori Salazar, Oceanside, Base, Sr.
The captain and center base excels in elite skills and pyramid stunts. As a tumbler, Salazar performs a roundoff tuck and standing back handspring.
Olivia Salmon, Mount Sinai, Main base, Sr.
The 2023 Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer is a two-time county and state champion who performs advanced stunts and tumbling routines.
Jessica Scardino, Ward Melville, Base, Jr.
The super elite base performs stunting skills in the air and on the ground. Scardino also is a three-time county champion (two Game Day one Competitive) and a state champion in Game Day (2024) and Competitive (2023).
Victoria Sepulveda, Division, Flyer, Jr.
Sepulveda is a contagious performer who stuns on the mat and in the air with super elite skills.
Alexis Sewer, Freeport, Back spot, Jr.
The captain and four-year member executes all super elite stunts and tumbles at the highest level, but her most impactful skill is her contagious energy.
Evangeline Sherman, West Babylon, Main Base, Sr.
The five-year main base is known for her elite stunting and tumbling abilities and was a second-team Newsday All-Long Island selection last season.
Brianna Sidoti, Seaford, Jr. Flyer
On top of being a graceful and controlled flyer, Sidoti competes with super elite tumbling skills. She also is a three-time county and two-time state champion.
Olivia Snyder, West Babylon, Back spot, Sr.
Part of the defending Competitive Class B Suffolk champion squad, Snyder began her five-year career as a flyer and has since become an exceptional back spot and mastered elite tumbling skills.
Kayla Spisto, Wantagh, Base/Flyer, Sr.
The elite flyer also will shine at the side base position this season. Spisto has competed with a full-twisting layout for the past three seasons.
Mia Stimac, Division, Main base, Jr.
The captain and four-year varsity member returned from an ACL injury midway through last season to perform strong tumbling skills and help Division clinch its first Competitive state Class B title.
Shelby Tell, Clarke, Back spot, Sr.
She performs many elite skills as a back spot including inversions, switching and spinning skills and can execute coed style one-man skills. Tell also competes with a standing tuck and running full.
Milan Telfair, Smithtown East, Main base, Sr.
The four-year member and captain executes super elite stunting skills including a roundoff back handspring layout.
Kelsey Vargas, Patchogue-Medford, Back, Sr.
Vargas is a skilled tumbler and stunter who can perform multiple tumbling passages including tucks and layouts.
Kaitlyn Varriale, Oceanside, Flyer, Sr.
The captain and center flyer excels in elite skills including 180 switch-ups, back handspring to fulls, and roundoff to fulls.
Madison Williams, Comsewogue, Sr., Side base
The four-year member and captain will add a roundoff back handspring full to her tumbling skills this season.
