East Islip Varsity Cheer Places 13th in Nation

  • East Islip High School’s varsity cheerleading team attended the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship, held Feb. 10-12 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Led by coaches Ariel Abesamis and Jules Keaney, this was the East Islip program’s fourth time attending the championship. 

    For the first time in program history, the team competed in the Game Day Division, earning a spot in the semifinal round. In addition to Game Day, the team competed in the Small Varsity D2 Traditional Division, which consisted of over 85 teams, making it one of the largest divisions at the competition. Progressing through prelims, quarterfinals and semifinals, the team earned a spot to compete in the finals, where they placed 13th in the nation. Over the course of the weekend, the team hit a zero-deduction routine four times and remained a top competitor. 

    “With a team of 12 rookies and only seven returning members, this weekend was extremely successful and embodied the true essence of unity, strength and school pride,” Abesamis said.

    Date Added: 2/21/2024

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