UIL Spirit State Championship
The Decatur ISD DHS Cheer team competed in a the state qualifying round on Friday, January 5, 2023 at the UIL Spirit State Championship. They achieved the highest score in Decatur ISD Cheer history, "Band Dance and Fight Song" category. Their scores earned them a top 20 spot for the finals, which is the State Championship round.
They competed in the state round and earned 18th place in the 4A-D1 cheer competition. Coach Cherie Hocevar proudly stated, "Earning 18th place was awesome for the team. They had competed in 2 other competitions in December and came in last for both, so to make finals at state is a huge confidence boost and achievement for them."
Due to not competing for the last three years, there were only two cheerleaders (seniors) on the team that had participated in this competition before. There are also five members on the team that had not cheered before this year. DHS has never have never had such a high number of underclassmen on a competition team before.
"When I think about where we started in July to where we ended Friday night, it's truly amazing. Their dedication and hard work paid off! I can't wait to see what they can do next year!," said Coach Hocevar.
UIL Competition Team Members:
Seniors: Ashlynn Christian, Danni Blair, Haylee Boaz, Ryanne Murphree, and Addison Treible
Juniors: Kylee Allison, Isabella Chandler, Lyla Doan, Aubrie Duncan, Shye Harris, Ava Magliola, Catherine Mallory, Hannah Milliman, and Noelle Young (team manager)
Sophomores: Kaeleigh Agee, Landry Barnes, Bailey Hughes, Giselle Martinez, Faith Pacheco, Nadia Rodriguez, and Amie Wilkins
Freshman: Marley Ballard, Emaline Mercer, Addison Merchant, Peyton O'Conner, and Saige Remington
