RHS Claims National Cheerleading Championship

Published February 13, 2017

The Ravenwood High School Cheer Team is the best in the nation, and they have the trophy to prove it.

The Lady Raptors beat out 51 other teams February 12 to claim first place in the Medium Varsity Division I category at the 2017 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC) in Orlando, Florida.

RHS took the top spot by a just 0.5 points to claim the school’s first ever National Championship.

“It still doesn’t feel real,” said senior Logan Jordan. “Nothing compares to this feeling, and I wish that we could relive this moment forever. We couldn’t ask for a better ending.”

It was a long-awaited victory for the Lady Raptors who finished second, third and second, respectively, each of the last three years in the competition.

Squad members are Logan Jordan, Sydney Fordice, Lauren Martin, Aerial Griffin, Greta Peterson, Brooke Phillips, Morgan Lanius, Peyton Rositano, Reghan Jordan, Ally Hankins, Brianna Fick, Bailey Martin, Sydney Dagostino, Sidney Holly, Avery Fallon, Olivia Corley, Ashton Carteaux. The squad is coached by Barbee Morgan and assistant coaches Jay Noffsinger, Brittany Head and faculty advisor Stephanie Dykes.

The win was especially satisfying for the squad’s six seniors.

“It’s fitting that the six girls who started the program got to finish as national champs,” said senior Lauren Martin. “We look forward to watching the rest of the squad continue this winning tradition that has been started.”

The junior varsity squad also made history by placing in the top 10 for the first time with a fifth place finish.

The NHSCC is considered one of the most prestigious cheerleading championships in the country and is nationally televised on ESPN and ESPN2 each year.