Hempfield, Neshannock big winners at WPIAL competitive spirit championships

By: James Dotson
Saturday, March 13, 2021 | 6:21 PM

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In a year when covid-19 has restrictions have made it difficult for high school athletics to occur, 21 teams at the 9th WPIAL competitive spirit championships were excited Saturday just to get on a mat.

For Hempfield, their home mat proved extra special. The Spartans took home their first district title, winning Class AAA.

Neshannock took top honors in Class AA, its third title in program history.

“Perfection,” was the word Hempfield second-year coach Suzannah Mayer used to describe her team’s performance.

“The energy was unreal,” Mayer said. “I can’t really compare it to any other performance we’ve had this year.”

A new awards format awaited competitors this year. In previous years, the WPIAL awarded first- and second-place trophies based on classification. Berths to the state championships, however, were based upon squad size (small, medium, and large).

This year, PIAA bids were based solely upon classification ranking instead of squad size.

Also, with restrictions in qualifiers at the state level, only seven teams qualified for the PIAA championships, down from the 15 a year ago that qualified from the WPIAL.

The WPIAL also awarded team plaques for the small squad and champion in each class, as well as the co-ed champion. Schools receiving squad championship plaques were Ringgold (AA, small squad), Neshannock (AA, large squad), South Fayette (AAA, small squad), Hempfield (AAA, large squad), and Butler (co-ed squad).

With limited practice time, socially distanced routines during those practices and consistent changes to routines because of injuries and covid-19 protocols, the cheerleading squads faced adversity throughout the school year. Competing at the end of the year was enough for many.

Winning the gold was even more special.

“It’s been a trying year, and it’s just icing for the cake for them,” said a choked-up Mayer.

Neshannock coach Colleen Frye also referenced the difficult year with extra changes necessary to the routine.

“They had a lot of changes,” the first-year coach said. “They were always open-minded with it, and they just went out and got it.

“I was afraid that I was going to go out on with the girls and make the pyramid go down,” Frye said upon the conclusion of Neshannock’s routine. “That’s how excited I was for them.”

Ringgold finished in second in AA to earn a PIAA bid. Butler finished second in AAA for a state bid. Also receiving state championship berths in AAA were Baldwin, South Fayette and Thomas Jefferson.

The PIAA competitive spirit championships will take place April 10th.

Mayer said this is only the beginning for Hempfield.

“There really is no limit for us,” Mayer said. “We hit a peak, and we’re going to just keep climbing because there’s another mountain top for us to get to.”

Watch an archived video stream broadcast of the WPIAL spirit championships on the TribLive High School Sports Network.