LIHU‘E – Although half their squad was still enroute home from Florida, there was enough excitement at the Lihu‘e Airport Saturday night when nine of the 17-member Kekaha Panthers JPW cheer squad came through the gates with their first place
LIHU‘E – Although half their squad was still enroute home from Florida, there was enough excitement at the Lihu‘e Airport Saturday night when nine of the 17-member Kekaha Panthers JPW cheer squad came through the gates with their first place medals.
The Panthers, earning the right to compete at the Pop Warner 2004 National Cheer & Dance Championships in Florida at an earlier regional competition in Waimea, topped an 18-squad field to come away with First Place honors, Tuesday, Dec. 7, in Florida.
Second place in the JPW Novice, Small division were the Mountain View Marauders from California with the New Fairfield Falcons of Connecticut. filling in the third place slot.
The Panthers, enroute to earning the gold, were also one of the squads nominated for the Spirit Award by anonymous spectators that were seeded by the organizers. That award was won by the Cape Youth Mini Twisters of Florida.
One of the parents who was anxiously awaiting the return of her daughter noted that Kekaha School was buzzing with excitement when the results were announced over the school’s public address system, Tuesday.
Since then, she has been anxiously waiting for her daughter, a first-year performer, to return.
Brandi Chinen, one of the first pepsters to come through the gates, said this was the first time she had been to Florida, but was not even nervous about the competition, there.
A chaperoning parent noted that the gymnasium they competed in was huge, and the event was sold out for their competition.
Additionally, she said that there was an “open party” scheduled for Friday, and the MGM was anticipating a total attendance of 18,000 Pop Warner participants and parents.
The nine returning Panthers represented about half of the squad with the remaining JPW pepsters and the Kekaha Chargers Midget cheer squad still making their way back from Florida.
More of the girls will be returning Sunday, Dec. 13, with the remainder of the contingent coming home on Monday, Dec. 14.
No results could be found for the Midget cheer competition which were represented by both the Hanapepe Colts and the Kekaha Chargers, and held in Florida on Friday, Dec. 10.
Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) and dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
