Something to cheer about

The South Elgin High School cheerleading team is now the answer to a trivia question.

What team was the first in school history to qualify for an IHSA team state finals event?

After a third-place finish in the coed competition at the recent Normal West sectional, the Storm will attempt to make even more school history at this weekend's IHSA competitive cheerleading state finals at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington.

South Elgin is one of three area teams that qualified for the state finals. Jacobs will compete in the large-team competition, while Huntley qualified in the coed division as well.

"It's amazing what we've accomplished," said South Elgin senior co-captain Nikki Hanna, who has been on the team since the school opened three years ago and competed for Elgin High her freshman year.

"It's a reflection on how much we have put into it. We've built up a base and everybody has contributed to it. Our hard work has really paid off."

South Elgin's varsity squad features 19 girls and four boys. The team will perform a three-minute routine that has a "Storm" routine to it. A music mix includes the AC/DC song "Thunderstruck," as well as rain and lightning sound effects.

"We have fun out there, but we know when it comes down to work, we work and we don't goof around," said South Elgin senior co-captain Alyssa Cannata, who is also a three-year veteran and competed at Larkin High her freshman year. "We're serious about working to win."

First-year South Elgin coach Jennifer Hayward didn't have the full coed element until an additional tryout was held just prior to the competition season, which yielded the four male team members.

But the coed element has worked out wonderfully.

"The guys are a great asset," said Hanna. "They caught on quickly and they are always willing to learn."

The best part of South Elgin's Storm-themed routine is the cheer portion.

"Even though we don't like it, the cheer is the best part," Cannata laughed.

"It looks the best. It's a lot of work. It's right in the middle of the routine, and everybody is exhausted by the time we get to it. But we pull it off."

Hayward said the team's eight seniors have played a major role in the team's history-making run.

"We've got a good group of seniors. We're going to have a big hole to fill next year," said Hayward. "These seniors, this is the first senior class in the school. They wanted to leave their mark and accomplish something great before they go."

Hanna admits nerves may come into play this weekend in Bloomington, but she knows the ultimate cure for that.

"We have to keep our cool and know that we've done this a million times," said Hanna. "The most important part at state is to have fun. We perform our best when we have fun. We have to remember that."

Jacobs is making its second straight state finals appearance in the large-team division.

"This year we took all grade levels on the team," said sixth-year Jacobs coach Jenny Flesch, who has nine returning seniors on the squad. "We have a bigger talent pool to choose from, and we've got a lot of former gymnasts."

Jacobs senior captain Amy Bernicchi said the meshing of grade levels and talent has been a season-long work in progress that has hit a crescendo recently.

"It was difficult at first," said Bernicchi, "but we've really come together as a team. We have so much talent and so much gymnastics quality."

The Golden Eagles have racked up plenty of mileage this season with a routine that is loaded with difficulty.

"We have a really high level of difficulty," said Flesch.

"We have a lot of tumbling in the routine, and that makes us stand out from the other teams. We've got double-downs (rotating twice coming out of stunts) out of every stunt -- and that sets us apart."

Bernicchi is especially impressed with the team's pyramid routine.

"We have five mount groups that are all connected," said Bernicchi. "We do twists out of it and we all double down. It's hard stuff."

Jacobs' theme this year is "We want it more."

Qualifying for Saturday's finals (top 10 teams from today's competition) would qualify as wanting more.

"One of our big goals is to make it to Saturday," said Bernicchi. "We have to go out there and hit all of our stunts and hit all of our tumbling and sell the routines and show everybody how good we are."

Huntley is in the coed finals for the second time in the three years of IHSA-sanctioned competitive cheerleading. The Red Raiders finished 26th in the state in the coed competition in 2006.

Huntley, under the direction of coach Becca Davison, qualified for this year's coed state meet after making a three-hour trek to downstate Bartonville and placing second at the Limestone Sectional.

The Red Raiders finished ahead of rival Belvidere at that sectional (Belvidere narrowly edged Huntley last year to earn a trip to state).

"Our team has a lot of dedication," said Huntley senior co-captain Alexis Kourkoumelis. "In the end we worked hard in practice and pulled through and now we're going to state."

Kourkoumelis likes how the team's routine begins.

"We've got a lot of good opening stunts and tumbling," said Kourkoumelis. "We do heel stretches and there's a basket toss. We've got a great variety of things in the start of the routine."

Huntley has one male cheerleader on the team.

"I like the coed because it's more of a challenge," said Huntley senior co-captain Jamie Lang. "We get to go against some tough teams that have advanced routines. It's a challenge to see how we compete against them."

The Red Raiders changed their closing routine two days before sectionals.

"My favorite part is the ending stuff," said Lang. "We've changed it three times and then hit it perfectly during the competition (sectional)."

Both Jacobs and South Elgin will also compete in the Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association championships Feb. 9-10 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield. Jacobs qualified in the large junior varsity division, while South Elgin will compete in the coed division.