Verona High School’s cheerleaders are headed to Ocean City, Maryland today for their first-ever national competition. “Reach the Beach” will pit the girls against more than two dozen squads from across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
The team includes Tyler Ballantyne, Catherine Farley, Lisa Fitzgerald, Paige Gibson, Teddya Konopka, Brittany Liska, Ashley MacMoyle, Alyssa Malfettano, Amanda Massaker, Kiana Miller, Gabriela Mercurio, Nikki Peterson, Claudia Rollo, Alyssa Streifer, Briana Tansey and Kristin Visentin. To perfect the high-energy, high-flying stunts in their three-minute routine, the girls practice from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. They’ve competed in five local competitions before heading to Maryland, placing fairly well in each according to their coach, Jamie Wronski. If the girls take first at Ocean City, their entry fee to the American Cheer & Dance Association’s world competition will be paid.
You can watch a video of the girls in action on their Web site. (Photo and video courtesy Patrick Liska.)