After battling injuries and illness, the Rockets put it all together at regionals and won a berth in the state finals for the third time in four years.
LocalSportsJournal.com
MOUNT PLEASANT - Reeths-Puffer capped off its competitive cheer season with a berth in the state finals for the third time in four years.
Considering only eight teams in all of Division 2 earn a spot on the state’s biggest cheerleading stage at Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena, that is quite an accomplishment.
“It means a lot to end my high school career here at state,” said Reeths-Puffer senior Lorena Garcia, one of just three seniors on the Rockets’ roster and the only senior who competes in all three rounds.
“My family was able to make it here to state for the first time, which is great. I appreciate all of this so much.”
The Rockets placed eighth in the Division 2 Finals on March 1 with a three-round score of 754.20.
Allen Park won its second consecutive state championship, and fifth in the last six years with a score of 791.90. Gibraltar Carlson (788.42) took second and Carleton Airport (784.16) placed third.
R-P fourth-year coach Lisabeth Smith said her young team is learning so much from its trips to Mount Pleasant, and is starting to get more comfortable going up against the state’s elite programs.
“We have a lot of freshmen in Round 3 and they are out there fighting so hard,” said Smith. “I mean, they are 14 years old, competing in this big arena and handling the pressure.”
The Rockets placed fourth in the O-K Green Conference tournament, then followed that up with another fourth-place finish in the District tournament at Grand Rapids Northview, barely qualifying for regionals.
Smith said her team, which had won three consecutive district titles before this year, was battling injuries and illness at districts, but was able to put it all together at regionals.
The Regional tournament at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern turned out to be the highlight of the Rockets’ season, as they used a powerhouse Round 3 to place ahead of GR Northview and Forest Hills Northern (two teams that beat them at districts) to earn a coveted spot in the state finals.
“We picked apart our Round 3 before regionals,” said Smith. “We found a way to go out there and have fun, and it showed that day.”
Standouts for the Rockets this winter included three returning all-region performers - Garcia, junior Madilynn Smith and sophomore Malia McGuffey.
The Rockets had only three seniors on its 25-girl roster - Gabriella Burgeon, Addyson Smith and Garcia. The roster includes 10 juniors, eight sophomores and four freshmen.
That youth, which gained more valuable experience with another run to the state finals, has Smith and the enthusiastic throng of green-and-white clad Puffer fans who made the trip to Mount Pleasant optimistic about the future.
“These girls are hungry for more,” explained Smith, who is assisted by Addison Smith and Jeya Lee. “It takes a village in this sport and we have it right now, starting with our athletic director (Cliff Sandee) on down.
“I am humbled and blessed. I get things set up and put the structure in place, but it’s the girls that go out there and make all of this happen.”
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