March 16, 2008
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -
The Maryland competitive cheer team dominated Cheer Ltd.'s College Open competition this weekend in Myrtle Beach, S.C., by claiming the title by a margin of 28 points. This competition was the team's first of the year on a hard-floor surface, the same surface that will be used at NCA nationals in April.
The Terrapins mastered the Large Collegiate division with a score of 272 points. Second-place Newberry College scored 244.5 points, while Christopher Newport University followed close behind with a score of 243 points. The team from James Madison earned a score of 241 points, and Virginia's team rounded out the division with a score of 234.5.
"Everything looked really easy for us," said head coach Jarnell Bonds, "We really wanted to not make our difficult skills actually look difficult. We had no tumbling flaws and we looked extremely confident."
The team received perfect scores from the judges in the areas of dance, tumbling and stunting difficulty, and formations. "To get perfect scores from the judges is awesome," said Bonds. The team also received praise for its pyramid section.
Bonds mentioned that sophomores Ashley Heiser and Danielle Dixon nailed a difficult synchronized pass on the new hard surface. She also mentioned sophomore Lauren Louis for saving a stunt with a great catch.
The top 20 teams for nationals in April will be announced tomorrow morning. In preparation for nationals, the Terrapins will add a crowd involvement cheer and will enhance the difficulty of their routine.
The Terps will begin to prepare for their next competition, the Challenge at the Sea hosted by American Cheer Express, April 5 in Virginia Beach, Va.
