- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 395,109
- Reaction score
- 43
Same mat, different result. A second chance for first place.
The Medway cheerleading team finished second – for the only time this season – at the Division 3 state championships on March 9 at Worcester State University. The Mustangs captured the New England title on the 22nd – also at WSU - but they actually won it the day after States.
In their heads, anyway.
The goal of an undefeated season ended when Medway finished below Wilmington by less than two points at States. The Mustangs had already won Tri-Valley League and South Regional titles, but one competition remained.
At practice 24 hours after States, the team had what first-year head coach Adrienne Hunter described as “an honest conversation.” Medway’s 14 members agreed that the prior Sunday’s performance wasn’t their best. Not for a team that won State and New England titles a year ago.
“Our States performance took a toll on everyone,” said junior captain Adelle McLaughlin. “It felt like a setback.”
“The performance at States wasn’t our best; we had multiple mistakes,” said sophomore Chloe Giallonardo, a Tri-Valley League All-Star.
Hunter voiced the hardest truth, saying, “We deserved to be second.”
Most of the team had been practicing, cheering and tumbling together since August. Besides the three captains, the team includes juniors Eve Peristere and Olivia Olynciw; sophomores Samantha Tovar, Nicole Oster (TVL-All-Star), Grace McLaughlin, Willow Gowen, Laney Brynczka and Julia Holden; and freshmen Gianna Scotland, Madison Brynczka and Cassidy Cook. Stephanie Rasmussen and Michael Dovalle served as assistant coaches and Eric Bichao was the choreographer.
With one final competition remaining and a chance to repeat as Div. 3 New England champs, sulking was out. Sharpening their mental focus, correcting mistakes and forgetting the recent past topped the proverbial pyramid. Using a royalty theme for their musical selections and a "we are humble and hungry" motto, the Mustangs returned to WSU 13 days later and recorded a score of 196, the highest point total of any team, regardless of division.
The team’s three captains recounted their feelings in the moments leading up to the announcement of first place.
“It’s very suspenseful. It’s a feeling I don’t think I can describe,” said junior Jillian Bartel. “I’m squeezing my teammate’s hand as hard as I can and my head is down in my lap. You just want to reach your goal, and you don’t know.”
“It’s instant relief,” Adelle McLaughlin said. “Getting to look at your teammates in the eyes in that circle all together when we know we’re about to get called – it's a very connecting and relieving moment as a group because we know we knew what we had to do. Just getting to celebrate all together.”
“Coming off the mat was so indescribable after completing the best routine that we had done these past two seasons,” Giallonardo said. “It’s just exhilarating. Whether if we got first, second, third – we were proud of what we put on that mat and we weren’t disappointed in ourselves.”
Hunter envisioned success well before the team took the mat.
“When we walked into Worcester State,” she said, “I could tell as soon as they got off the bus, regardless of what any other team did, they were absolutely going to win.”
“Before the routine was even over – you just knew,” Giallonardo said. “With the focus that we had, by the time we got to the end of that routine, we just absolutely knew – no matter what we did – we were all proud of ourselves. That felt like the biggest win.”
The bus ride back to school was accompanied by a police and fire department escort. Hunter received calls from Medway’s superintendent and principal. Athletic director Jeff Parcells emailed the team’s winning video to faculty.
The celebration continued at school on Monday.
“Every single class I went into, my teacher was saying, ‘congratulations, congratulations; we saw the video – it was so good,’” Giallonardo said. “I even had one of my teachers play the video in front of the entire class. We were in the morning announcements. It felt so good to walk into class and get congratulated and get recognized.”
The two-time New England champs still don’t have a senior on the team. Another year together is yet another aspect to cheer about.
“Being on the mat together with the team I’ve literally grown up with – it's just an amazing feeling,” Bartell said. “You’re all going through the exact same feeling. It’s just a different level of connection.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Instagram @tdumas1.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Medway cheer shrugs off 'setback' to win repeat New England title
Continue reading...
The Medway cheerleading team finished second – for the only time this season – at the Division 3 state championships on March 9 at Worcester State University. The Mustangs captured the New England title on the 22nd – also at WSU - but they actually won it the day after States.
In their heads, anyway.
The goal of an undefeated season ended when Medway finished below Wilmington by less than two points at States. The Mustangs had already won Tri-Valley League and South Regional titles, but one competition remained.
At practice 24 hours after States, the team had what first-year head coach Adrienne Hunter described as “an honest conversation.” Medway’s 14 members agreed that the prior Sunday’s performance wasn’t their best. Not for a team that won State and New England titles a year ago.
You must be registered for see images attach
“Our States performance took a toll on everyone,” said junior captain Adelle McLaughlin. “It felt like a setback.”
“The performance at States wasn’t our best; we had multiple mistakes,” said sophomore Chloe Giallonardo, a Tri-Valley League All-Star.
Hunter voiced the hardest truth, saying, “We deserved to be second.”
Most of the team had been practicing, cheering and tumbling together since August. Besides the three captains, the team includes juniors Eve Peristere and Olivia Olynciw; sophomores Samantha Tovar, Nicole Oster (TVL-All-Star), Grace McLaughlin, Willow Gowen, Laney Brynczka and Julia Holden; and freshmen Gianna Scotland, Madison Brynczka and Cassidy Cook. Stephanie Rasmussen and Michael Dovalle served as assistant coaches and Eric Bichao was the choreographer.
With one final competition remaining and a chance to repeat as Div. 3 New England champs, sulking was out. Sharpening their mental focus, correcting mistakes and forgetting the recent past topped the proverbial pyramid. Using a royalty theme for their musical selections and a "we are humble and hungry" motto, the Mustangs returned to WSU 13 days later and recorded a score of 196, the highest point total of any team, regardless of division.
The team’s three captains recounted their feelings in the moments leading up to the announcement of first place.
You must be registered for see images attach
“It’s very suspenseful. It’s a feeling I don’t think I can describe,” said junior Jillian Bartel. “I’m squeezing my teammate’s hand as hard as I can and my head is down in my lap. You just want to reach your goal, and you don’t know.”
“It’s instant relief,” Adelle McLaughlin said. “Getting to look at your teammates in the eyes in that circle all together when we know we’re about to get called – it's a very connecting and relieving moment as a group because we know we knew what we had to do. Just getting to celebrate all together.”
“Coming off the mat was so indescribable after completing the best routine that we had done these past two seasons,” Giallonardo said. “It’s just exhilarating. Whether if we got first, second, third – we were proud of what we put on that mat and we weren’t disappointed in ourselves.”
Hunter envisioned success well before the team took the mat.
“When we walked into Worcester State,” she said, “I could tell as soon as they got off the bus, regardless of what any other team did, they were absolutely going to win.”
“Before the routine was even over – you just knew,” Giallonardo said. “With the focus that we had, by the time we got to the end of that routine, we just absolutely knew – no matter what we did – we were all proud of ourselves. That felt like the biggest win.”
The bus ride back to school was accompanied by a police and fire department escort. Hunter received calls from Medway’s superintendent and principal. Athletic director Jeff Parcells emailed the team’s winning video to faculty.
You must be registered for see images attach
The celebration continued at school on Monday.
“Every single class I went into, my teacher was saying, ‘congratulations, congratulations; we saw the video – it was so good,’” Giallonardo said. “I even had one of my teachers play the video in front of the entire class. We were in the morning announcements. It felt so good to walk into class and get congratulated and get recognized.”
The two-time New England champs still don’t have a senior on the team. Another year together is yet another aspect to cheer about.
“Being on the mat together with the team I’ve literally grown up with – it's just an amazing feeling,” Bartell said. “You’re all going through the exact same feeling. It’s just a different level of connection.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Instagram @tdumas1.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Medway cheer shrugs off 'setback' to win repeat New England title
Continue reading...
