Excitement reigned in Menehuneland as the Waimea High School cheer squad followed in the footsteps of the Menehune basketball team to capture the first Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation cheer title on Sunday afternoon at the Kaua’i High School gym. The cheer
Excitement reigned in Menehuneland as the Waimea High School cheer squad followed in the footsteps of the Menehune basketball team to capture the first Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation cheer title on Sunday afternoon at the Kaua’i High School gym.
The cheer victory gives the Menehunes two titles in two days as the basketball squad overpowered an ailing Kapa’a squad 57-46 the night before to capture the KIF basketball title.
Sprinkled in the audience estimated at about 300 people was Waimea High athletic director James Kitamura, who said, “These girls work hard.”
Coaches Kim Frasco and Lori Pigao work the cheerleaders “hard at practice,” he added.
The squad of 15 girls demonstrated the fruits of their practice at almost all Waimea games starting with pre-season football, and continuing beyond the state competition until the final pitch is thrown at the KIF baseball season on May 1.
Parents, relatives, former cheer squad members, as well as student athlete representatives from the expansive sport base that makes up the KIF filled in the bleachers at the Raiderdome.
Charlene Quinones, athletic director for Kaua’i High School, and the coordinator for this first KIF cheer competition, quipped, “Maybe we’ll sell pre-event tickets.”
Working within a 2 1/2-minute frame, the Menehune pepsters preluded their performance by exploding through the gym door and in scrumble-fashion, did a pre-performance huddle before skipping across the floor into formation that was quickly transformed by a solitary gymnastic flipping against a backdrop of coordinated throws by the rest of the squad.
Dressed in navy blue tights beneath their smart blue uniforms, the Menehune spirit stars obviously spend the greater part of Sunday morning working to coordinate their hair as well as makeup for a pristine look as they utilized their own chants, cheers, as well as performed dances to selected musical scores. The Menehunes captured the KIF title with a performance that garnered them 196 points overall in the competition.
Kaua’i High School’s Red Raider squad followed with 145 points with the Kapa’a Warriors rounding out the leader board at 127 points.
A panel of three technical judges and a safety judge included Heather
Aki, a former Kamehameha School and University of Portland cheerleader. Aki also coached at Kamehameha, the Pac-5, and Mid Pacific on O’ahu.
Eric Allen is a current University of Hawai’i cheerleader, having also served as a Portland Trailblazer stunt team member, and as a University of Kentucky cheerleader.
Kathy Moniz, the head cheer coach at Aiea High School, rounded out the panel of tech judges with her 20 years of experience in coaching cheerleaders.
Safety judge Faye Aki has 22 years of cheer coaching experience, and is currently the head coach for the Pac-5 and Mid Pacific.
Waimea cheer squad members include Lindsey Caoagdan, Michelle Chiba, Keala Dela Cruz, Bree Fujita, Ipo Kali, Amber Locquiao, Chaunte Medeiros, Cassie Otto, Lorrie Otto, Letisha Pancho, Mona Planas, Stephanie Poteete, Jasmine Quibilan, Kelsey Sagucio, and Jennifer Tambio. Coaches are Frasco and Lori Pigao.
Staff photographer Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dfujimoto@pulitzer.net
