West Allis Central High School cheerleaders make history

 

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- West Allis Central High School has made history. For the first time ever, their cheer team qualified to compete in the Wisconsin State Championship Competition.

"It's very exciting, it means a lot," said cheerleaders Giada Duke and Aniya Morgan.

This is the team's third year as a competition team, allowing them to take their skills beyond the sidelines.

"It's not just shaking pom poms on the sidelines," said coach Taylor Duellman. "It requires athleticism and dedication. It requires teamwork, there is so much that goes into it."

Missing the state qualification last year by only point eight points, the team came back with a vengeance.

"When we go out on the mats, we only have two minutes and 30 seconds," said cheerleader, Nazeli Abramyan. "I think that saying that we were the first to go to state really proves we used that time wisely."

At school Friday, their classmates cheered on the cheerleaders, holding a parade to send them off in style.

"It was like yes, all their hard work has paid off," said Coach DeSha Wilbern. "We were jumping for joy, everybody."

The team says they are ready to put on a smile and leave it all out on the floor at the State Championship
Competition tomorrow.

"It means a lot for us because we've really been trying hard, especially with a lot that the teams been through," said cheerleader Gionna Ipsa. "We've put so much effort into it."