Back to defend their championships

Kingfisher officially has earned the chance to defend its crown.

The Kingfisher High School cheerleaders finished as runners-up Saturday in a Class 4A regional at Chickasha.

The finish automatically qualified KHS for this week’s state competition.

The Class 3A and 4A teams will perform their routines beginning at noon Saturday at Union High School in Tulsa.

KHS is set to perform at 12:45 p.m.

It was on that same mat at Union that Kingfisher won the 2023 Class 4A state championship, the program’s fourth overall, but first since 2008.

Thatteamwaschockfull with experience and leadership as evident by its nine seniors.

This year’s group, however, has only two and also a new head coach in Daphni Jennings.

The group put together a solid routine at the regional and notched 246.6 points.

Cache won the regional title with 256.6 points from the judges.

“I am very proud of how the girls performed at regionals. We did not fall on any stunts or tumbling passes,” noted Jennings.

“With having only two seniors, younger members have to step up and be leaders which I am seeing as we build our program.”

The regional champ and runner-up automatically state.

Non-automatic qualifi ers must score at least 225 points.

Moving on from the Chickasha regional were Washington (235.4), Oklahoma Christian School (234.8) and Pauls Valley (230.8).

Teams advancing from the Stroud regional were Crossings Christian (278), Bristow (260.4), Sallisaw (251.8), North Rock Creek (245), Metro Christian (241.2) and Miami (232.2).

Crossings Christian is back in Class 4A this year after placing fourth in 5A a year ago.

Prior to that, the team won three straight Class 4A state championships.

qualifies for Bristow was the 2023 state runner-up while Washington, OCS and Pauls Valley were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

In other words, there’s a lot of talent and experience vying for the 2024 crown.

Jennings said she doesn’t want her team worrying about the finish, but more the task at hand.

“I expect to do as best we can at state,” she said. “And I want us to focus on our performance versus the score.”

Defending 2A Champ Cashion Back at State

Cashion will also get to defend its cheer championship.

The team took third at the Class 2A regional in Chickasha.

Hinton won the title with 253.4 points and Crescent was the runner-up with 235.

Cashion notched 231.6 points.

Elmore City-Pernell also advanced to state with 225 points.

Class 2A will begin its state competition at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Cashion performs at 10:55 a.m.

The team not only won the 2023 Class 2A competitive cheer championship, but followed it up with the Game Day Cheer title later in the year.