Wildcats win 10th straight NCA title

Tradition stayed alive last week, as the Oak Harbor High School cheerleaders were named the top team at the National Cheerleader Association camp for the 10th straight year.

“We have a lot of new faces this year on our squad, but I was so proud that they all worked so hard together at camp to win top team for my senior year,” co-captain Hannah Berry said.

To grab the title, the Wildcats beat out 13 schools on the last day of camp held at the University of Washington. Each squad performed a cheer at the four-day camp that incorporated tumbling, stunts and jumps that will help prepare them for the 2005 fall sports season.

“We start at 8 in the morning and finish at 9 p.m. at night,” co-captain Natalie Lumbo said. “The only time we stop is for meals.”

By winning the top team award, the Wildcat cheerleaders earned a bid to NCA National competition in Texas this December.

To go along with the top team honor, Oak Harbor’s Denon Lammatao was given the highest individual recognition as he was named top All-American cheerleader.

Several individual cheerleaders also nabbed special awards. Hannah Berry, CJ Wong, Dan Vandiver, Jennifer Ratcliff, Andrew Shumate, Jordan Carlson and BreAnna Stanek were selected as All-American nominees. Natalie, Lumbo, Tiffany Bourlet, Denon Lammatao, Tyler Theriault, Janelle Ruefa and Jessica Gilbert were chosen for the NCA All-American team and are eligible to perform in the Hula Bowl and Orange Bowl.

Team members also included Samantha Culver, Toni Leyden, Marissa Price, Megan Mann, Mark Evans, Courtney Brown, Briana Gaskill, Shannel Girton and Stephanie Eason. Coaches are Pam Headridge and Tammy Carlson.