St. Pauls cheerleading wins 2nd state title of season

MOCKSVILLE — One thing that makes competitive cheerleading unique is the chance to participate in multiple state-level competitions in the same season.

With that chance comes the possibility for multiple championships. And with that possibility, the St. Pauls cheerleading team took advantage.

St. Pauls won the North Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association’s state championship in the Division I/II Varsity Coed Non-Tumbling Game Day division at the competition held Saturday at Davie County High School.

It was the Bulldogs’ second state championship of the 2023-24 season after winning the same division at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Cheerleading Invitational on Dec. 2.

“It’s another surreal moment for us,” St. Pauls coach Tashira Patterson said. “Originally we weren’t going to do this competition, but after we got first at the one on Dec. 2, it was like they wanted to give it another try, so we went for it.”

The Gameday division entails a band chant, a situational sideline chant (i.e. “offense,” “defense,” etc.), a fight song and a cheer, with the team incorporating stunts, motions, jumps, etc. Non-tumble means there are no tumbling skills.

St. Pauls scored an 87.5 during its routine, beating runner-up Draughn by seven points. Purnell Swett, who also won an NCHSAA state championship in December, finished third with 71 points.

“It’s the same amazing talent at both competitions,” Patterson said. “You never know what you’re going up against or what a team has to offer, because sometimes you don’t see those teams at the other competitions, so you have to be on your A game whenever you go to any competition in North Carolina, because the talent is amazing.”

Purnell Swett’s varsity team also competed in the Division I Coed Non-Tumbling division, finishing second behind Richmond. The Rams’ JV squad finished second in both Division I Non-Tumbling and Division I Non-Tumbling Game Day.

Lumberton placed third in the Division I Large Varsity Non-Tumbling Game Day division.

St. Pauls team members include Savannah Curtis, Tyana Fairley, Emily Flores Cortez, Sha’Nia Graham, Trinity Green, Keshaunda Henderson, Jaela Jacobs, J’Lissa Leonard, Dashawn McDonald, Te’myhia Melvin, Patrick Mooney, Garden Orozco, Shy’Anna Pone, Jamaya Simmons, Ny’Asiah Williams and Addison Wilson.

“It was a learning process for myself, as well as the kids, the athletes,” Patterson said. “This team is fairly new to cheerleading, so we’ve got a lot of new faces on the team this year. They had to adapt to what we do, SPHS Cheer, our identity. And then it’s still kind of fairly new for us, so we’re still learning a lot year by year; every competition we learn something new.”

The title marks the end of the Bulldogs’ competitive season.

“I’m just really proud of them, for facing adversity and rising to the occasion and working hard from — our season really starts in the spring, so we’re technically year-round, but they dedicate their time, their energy, their efforts,” Patterson said. “They work hard all year long to work to the reward of winning a state championship. So it makes me really proud to know that they bought into the vision and we exceeded expectations for ourselves and other people.”