Plenty of goals, short-term and long-term, are in front of the Cicero-North Syracuse cheerleading squad in this new era where there is full recognition of the sport by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
But while a true state championship won’t take place until 2016, there’s plenty left to accomplish in 2015, and the Northstars got a big title when it won Wednesday night’s CNY Counties League championship tournament at Fayetteville-Manlius.
In all, seven teams were present, with C-NS not just facing the hosts from F-M, but also its neighbors from Liverpool, plus Baldwinsville, Central Square, West Genesee and Auburn.
Each of the teams did a 2 ½ minute routine, set to music, on mats in the middle of the gym floor, featuring plenty of tumbling and tricks that required split-second timing.
C-NS, by its own high standard established through scores of championships won at tournaments in recent years, made a few small mistakes, but still established itself as the team to beat.
Once all seven teams were done, the scores were tallied and then announced. With a total of 326.65 points, the Northstars again finished on top, fending off a challenge from the hosts as F-M, with 313.55 points, beat out West Genesee (310.6 points) for second place.
Liverpool, for its part, finished fourth with 277.7 points. The Warriors would beat efforts from Central Square (263.3 points), Baldwinsville (252.75 points) and Auburn (219.9 points).
Many more tournaments remain this winter, culminating on Feb. 7 with the overall Section III championships at Chittenango High School and a regional tournament March 7 in Rochester.
