Oñate cheerleading team wins state title

LAS CRUCES - The Oñate High School cheerleading squad captured its second state title in four years Saturday in Albuquerque.

The 28-member team won the Co-Ed Cheer 5A-6A division at the 2018 Spirit State Championship, scoring 181.41 points.

"We wanted to keep the Blue Trophy in the south," said Oñate head coach Kori Plank.

Oñate also won the title in 2015.

Las Cruces High, the reigning champs, finished third in 2018, scoring 176.53 points. Hobbs, with 176.66 points, narrowly edged the Bulldawgs for second place.

Several area schools competed in the co-ed 5A-6A division: Chaparral finished sixth (141.32 points); Gadsden finished 10th (134.54); and Santa Teresa finished 14th (129.12). Hatch Valley finished fifth (134.29) in the co-ed 3A-4A division.

Mayfield and Centennial competed in the Cheer 6A division, which features only girls.

Centennial finished fifth (165.77 points) and Mayfield, who won the division last year, finished seventh (160.67 points). Eldorado (177.47), La Cueva (173.38) and Rio Rancho (167.32) were tops in that division.

The teams were judged on skills, execution and crowd reaction, Plank said.

She said her team has 10 seniors and half of them were new to cheerleading.

"Our cheerleaders came together as a family this year and put team goals ahead of individual goals," she said.