Division wins its first state cheerleading title by taking Class B crown
Division competes in the NYSPHSAA cheerleading championship at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton on Saturday. Credit: Jorge Marcano
BINGHAMTON — Division cheerleading screamed before it heard its name.
The huddle already trembled with anticipation. It was Division’s first trip to the state cheerleading championship in program history, and the Dragons had been expecting their name to be called already.
When it wasn’t called for second place, it meant they were the winners and the squad couldn’t help themselves. The cheerleaders collapsed into a pile and scooped each other into their arms as they were named the Class B champions at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday night.
“When I heard that our name wasn’t called for second place, it didn't feel real,” senior side base Jenna Hansen said. “It felt like I was dreaming.”
“The only team we wanted to compete against today was ourselves, and that’s what we did,” senior back spot Eva Guerra said. "We stuck to what we did best and hoped the judges saw our passion.”
Co-coaches Cristen Marci and Liz Lynch say their squad is a “true team” and that they have strived for this feeling all season.
“I knew they could do it from the start,” Marci said. “They’re a family through and through and I think it shows in how they talk to each other on the mat. It just came naturally to them.”
In its fourth trip to the state championship, Freeport finished second in the coed category. Farmingdale was the Class A runner-up behind Sachem East.
Seaford, which competed in Class C, finished second behind Mount Sinai.
“It’s always an accomplishment to know you made it to this level and as much as you like to take the title home, it’s about being there and representing your town and the county,” coach Lisa Ferrari said.
Seaford won back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023 while competing in the Division II large team category.
“It’s an honor to be able to come here and show how hard we’ve worked this year through our routine,” Jess Haering said. “To come back and do it again year after year is what we strive for every season.”
While the seniors depart the program, they leave behind a legacy of being the program’s first Game Day state champions. They also leave behind a group well equipped to bring more hardware home in the future.
“There are no words to describe how I feel about being able to wear this Seaford uniform,” Katie Kofod said. “I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished, and we continue to set the bar higher every year, so the younger girls are ready. I’m hoping in years to come that they’re able to win both nationals and states.”
“Cheerleading is such a long season and this team always shows up and gives its all to this sport,” Ferrari said. “They truly leave their hearts and souls out on the mat every time and that's all you can really ask for.”
