Hempfield cheerleaders recognized by school board for winning state title

For Hempfield Area High School’s cheerleading team, there was no question they would be a top contender at the 2022 Competitive Spirit Championship in Hershey.

What they didn’t expect, however, was to clinch the top spot.

The team came home last week as the 2022 PIAA 3A Large Champions after competing against 19 other teams at the Giant Center on Jan. 28-29.

“These girls are a great example of what hard work and perseverance can do,” coach Suzannah Mayer said during this week’s school board meeting. “Our season is so long and it seems like at times it never ends. It’s great that most of the time we’re cheering on other sports, but this is their moment where they get celebrated.”

According to the championship website, Hempfield was in third place after competing in the preliminary round. After bypassing the semi-finals, the team went on to compete against six other teams, including South Fayette and Penn-Trafford. They received a final score of 94.2, which was 1.3 more points than Cumberland Valley, which took second.

“When we were announced that we were going straight through to finals, I think a weight lifted a little bit,” Mayer said. “When we were back warming up for finals we told them just relax and do what you know. Don’t do anything less, don’t do anything more, just do what we do every day at practice and that’s what they did.”

In addition to taking first at the Competitive Spirit Championship, the team also recently won its second consecutive WPIAL championship in Class 3A.

Team members, wearing their blue Hempfield T-shirts and some donning medals, were recognized by school board members this week.

“You had to nail that final routine so you were able to rely on that hard work that you do for 12 months and you knocked it out of the park. … It’s awesome to see you guys rise to the occasion when it was all on the line,” said board member Vince DeAugustine.

Athletic Director Brandon Rapp also applauded the group, which he said works all year and cheers on other Hempfield teams in their free time.

“We’re incredibly proud of their accomplishments so far,” Rapp said. “We’re going to wish them a lot of luck as they leave on Wednesday for sunny Florida to compete at the national level.”