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East Jessamine Cheer Team captured 7th in the nation at Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National Championship held last weekend in sunny Orlando, Florida.

Jaguars competed against several top ranked teams in a tournament broadcast via ESPN Wide World of Sports.

“It’s a great honor for our whole cheer team,” said senior Joe Gallo, co-captain. “This is the furthest we’ve come as a school. We’ve overcome many challenges this season and that ultimately brought us all together as a family to win.”

History was made!

“Our goal was just to make it to the finals, but we exceeded that by not only making finals but hitting our routine perfectly three times and placing in the top 10,” EJHS Cheer head coach Corinne Marshall, a first year head. “That was the first time in school history that a team made it to finals.”

Marshall is a former cheerleader at the University of South Florida and the assistant cheer coaches — Jordan Ellison and Jay Lohmann — both cheered at the University of Kentucky.

Seventeen Jaguars, two boys and 15 girls, practiced three times a week — three hours a day — then there’s cheering at football and basketball games.

“We had high goals — our saying this year was that we were going to set the standard for East Jessamine cheerleading,” Marshall said. “I think the future is bright.”

Fundraising to travel to Orlando came from working the concession stand UK football games in addition to local fundraisers.

“We want to thank the community for their support,” Marshall said.
Cheer roster: Avery Long; Avery Pile; Brayden Eades; Braylee Mckenzie; Brooklyn Turner; Cooper Todd; Gabrielle Weatherly; Joseph Gallo; Kallie Sandlin; Kaydee Morgan; Kaylee Resor; Olivia Trent; Rainey Harrison; RaShayla Turner; Sophie Lakes; Sophie Raines; Talijah Lee.