Westosha, Wilmot win state cheer titles

Westosha Central's Cheerleading squad captures another WACPC Division 2 Large school state title Saturday. The team, pictured here at the Wilmot regional, won last year's meet. Team members are (front row, from left) Macy Lux, Bree McKenna, coach Natalia Vernezzen; (middle row) Lauren Shane, Rylee Johnson, Krissy Swatkowski,Claire Fox, Jaden McKenna, Lauren LaPlant, Madi Leafblad, Madi Hansen, Rebecca Glassen, Alexis Toney; (back row) Lindsay Mazurek, Allysa Bock, Bailey Kehoe, Sara Hebior, Layne Schroeder, Joscelynn Gould, Morgan Langer, and Sam Fornell (Submitted/The Report).
Westosha Central’s Cheerleading squad captures another WACPC Division 2 Large school state title Saturday. The team, pictured here at the Wilmot regional, won last year’s meet. Team members are (front row, from left) Macy Lux, Bree McKenna, coach Natalia Vernezzen; (middle row) Lauren Shane, Rylee Johnson, Krissy Swatkowski, Claire Fox, Jaden McKenna, Lauren LaPlant, Madi Leafblad, Madi Hansen, Rebecca Glassen, Alexis Toney; (back row) Lindsay Mazurek, Allysa Bock, Bailey Kehoe, Sara Hebior, Layne Schroeder, Joscelynn Gould, Morgan Langer, and Sam Fornell (Submitted/The Report).

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

When a defending champion cheer squad compiles top finishes in the first seven meets, there is no doubt they would capture another Division 2 All-Girl Large state title.

Westosha Central High School, which won last year’s Wisconsin Association of Cheer/Pom Coaches state meet, finished first again in Madison’s Memorial Coliseum and Alliant Energy Center Saturday.

Natalia Vernezzen, Westosha Central’s coach, said all members were instrumental in the team’s success.

“Cheerleading relies on the entire team to be successful,” Vernezzen said. “We do not have a player to come and fill if we have an injury or someone becomes ineligible.”

However, the coach stated the team was fortunate for both healthy and dedicated cheerleaders during this year’s state run.

“We have been blessed with committed student athletes who value one another and the love of cheer,” she said. “So we have not run into redoing a routine many times.”

While cheerleading is a team sport, Vernezzen credited the leadership of the Falcons’ only two seniors, Macy Lux and Bree McKenna.

“(They) must be credited for cheering and working the team to success,” Vernezzen said. “With their leadership, they have modeled what it takes to be a successful competitive cheerleader.”

Additionally, Westosha Central came away with two all-state cheerleaders, junior Madi Hansen and sophomore Jaden McKenna.

The two all-state mentions did not come as a surprise for Vernezzen, who gave some of the credit to the team’s reputation.

“Central High School has always had individuals selected to the All-State team,” she said.

The honor was not Jaden McKenna’s first. She also had first-place finishes in East Troy, one individually, and the other as part of a stunt group consisting of Madi Leafblad, Joscelynn Gould and Lauren LaPlant.

The sophomore added first-place All-Southern Lakes Conference honors, and her stunt group finished second in the same meet.

In the state meet, Jaden McKenna’s squad took second.

Vernezzen had confidence entering the state meet, given the recent string of success.

“When a team has a good cheer, you know it,” she said. “Good cheers are easy for the crowd to follow, good cheers use strong voices, good cheers encourage the crowd to yell with them.”

Wilmot garners title
Wilmot Union High School also collected a championship, snagging first-place in the Division 2 All-Girl Small category.

Additionally, the school had two all-state honorees, Savannah Myers and Rachel Kostrova.


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