Local teams headed to Wyoming State Spirit

LHS spirit squads head to State with high expectations

By David Peck

Lovell High School cheer and dance teams are off to Casper this week for the annual Wyoming State Spirit competition to be held Friday at the Ford Wyoming Center, sponsored by the Wyoming High School Activities Association.

Lovell High School will be represented by the dance team in both hip-hop and jazz dance in Class 3A, while the cheer team will compete in the Class 3A Game Day division.

The LHS cheer team, coached by Nicole Hendershot, will be seeking a fourth straight state title, having won the title in Class 2A in 2023 and ’24 and the 3A title in 2025.

“This year we will be competing in the 3A Game Day division (again), which highlights exactly what we do on the sidelines as we support and energize our teams,” Hendershot said. “Our routine carries a strong ‘Bulldogs’ theme and opens with a high-energy band dance to immediately set the tone. From there, we move into our ‘Touchdown Bulldogs’ cheer, followed by a Bulldogs spell-out featured in the crowd-leading section.

“We close the routine with our fight song, finishing on a powerful, upbeat note. When I choreograph, I always aim for a high-energy start, and our fight song allows us to bookend the routine with that same intensity.”

Hendershot said she has a strong, experienced team for the competition.

“We will have 20 athletes competing, along with two alternates -- the largest team we’ve had since I began coaching,” she said. “This group brings a great deal of experience to the mat, with the majority of our athletes having competed in past seasons.

“3A Game Day is a large, competitive category with 11 teams. Our goal is always to leave everything on the mat. I want each athlete to walk away knowing they gave their absolute best and feeling proud of their performance, regardless of the final results. I’m really looking forward to seeing all of their hard work come together on the mat.”

Lovell will compete at 5:08 p.m. Friday, and Hendershot noted that the cheerleaders and dancers who are members of the LHS Show and Jazz choirs will be singing the National Anthem at the beginning of the competition at noon.

Members of the competition cheer team are seniors Ella Spanier, Haley Sanders, Atlee Sanders, Ashley Mangus, Savannah Prentiss, Angela Lopez, Lynn Marchant, Chase Crosby, Jay Mayes and Damian Wagner; juniors Lindsey Scheid-Leonhardt, Avery Wardell, Kylie Carabay, Jaelen Mayes, Caitlyn Allen and Candace Walker; sophomores Addie Weber, Bella Martinez and Lydia Craw (alternate); and freshmen Kendra Allen, Bostyn Tippetts and Alynna Monterde (alternate).

Dance team

Coached by Madison Hecker, the LHS dance team will compete in Jazz Dance at 1:16 p.m. and Hip-Hop at 3:48 p.m. Friday. Lovell won the Hip-Hop division a year ago.

“Our jazz routine is set to ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen,” Hecker said. “It is an energetic, uplifting and high energy routine that incorporates a strong level of technique throughout. This routine really highlights the dancers’ stage presence.

“Our hip-hop routine is set to a Kendrick Lamar mix and features a more modern hip-hop style. This routine focuses on musicality, athletic movement and confidence, giving the dancers the opportunity to showcase versatility and strong performance presence.”

Both routines were choreographed by Leslie Jara of ADC out of Utah,” Hecker said.

The competition team, with all athletes listed performing in both routines, includes seniors Spanier and Wardell, juniors Caitlyn Allen, Walker and Paige Spenny, sophomores Weber, Martinez, Juliette Caldwell and Kelce Winterholler and freshman  Kaycie Marberry.

“These athletes have worked incredibly hard, and our goal is for that dedication to shine through in performances that look effortless, energetic and confident,” Hecker said.

Grizzly cheer squad headed to State Spirit competition

By John Bernhisel

The Grizzly cheerleading squad is set to compete at the Wyoming High School Activities Association State Spirit Competition on Friday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.

Head coach Sheril Slater said the team will compete in two divisions: 2A Game Day and 3A All Girl Stunt, bringing a squad of seven athletes led by team captain Emma Collins.

“These girls have worked incredibly hard all year,” Slater said. “As the first cheer team in a couple of years, we’ve really been building this program from the ground up, and they’ve embraced every challenge along the way.”

The roster includes three seniors, two juniors and two freshmen, giving the program both leadership and a strong foundation for the future.

“This group is hardworking, determined, and always striving to be their best,” Slater said. “Our seniors have stepped up as leaders and have played a huge role in keeping the team motivated and moving forward. I’m so proud of each of them and can’t wait to watch them perform.”

Competition times Friday are 12:40 p.m. for the RMHS All Girl Stunt and 1:38 p.m. for the Game Day Cheer.

Team members are seniors Collins, Lily George and Emma Sponsel, juniors Lily Bauwens and Jameeliv Brost and freshmen Nora Kougl and Adynley Johnson.

The Grizzlies will take the mat Friday afternoon, representing their school and a growing cheer program on the state stage.

For information about attending the competition, see details at the WHSAA.org website.