Colquitt cheer squad qualifies for state finals for first time

Published 4:55 pm Monday, February 8, 2021

MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County’s competitive cheerleading squad made history last Saturday when it became the school’s first to reach the state finals.

The Lady Packers will compete for the Class 7A state championship at 10 a.m. Tuesday, February 16, at the Macon Centreplex.

Colquitt County qualified at one of the two Class 7A Sectional competitions held Saturday.

The Lady Packers were one of the eight teams to advance in the competition at Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs.

Also heading to the finals are Hillgrove, Walton, North Paulding, Harrison, Newnan, Tift County and East Coweta.

Eight other teams —  South Forsyth, Lambert, West Forsyth, Cherokee, North Forsyth, Woodstock, Archer and Denmark — advanced from the other Class 7A Sectional held at Buford High.

In the past, the Georgia High School Association’s state cheerleading championship was a two-day event.

The first-place team from each region advanced directly to state competition, while the rest of the teams competed in Sectionals to fill the remaining spots in the 16-team finals field.

Colquitt County has had teams advance to Sectional competition in the past, but this is the first time the Lady Packers have qualified for finals.

This year, teams competed at one of two Sectionals, with the top eight advancing from each.

At Hillgrove, 12 teams competed for eight spots. At Buford, 14 teams participated.

“Like every team in the state, this season has been extremely long and unpredictable from day to day,” said Patti Wier, who is the head of cheerleading at Colquitt County High. “But this group used it to make them more unified.

“Practices were unpredictable because of quarantine.

Wier said one team member was quarantined six times between August to December and never tested positive for COVID-19.

“They still made the best of each practice with a full squad or not,” Wier said. “This is a very talented group, one of the strongest tumbling groups Colquitt County has had.

“They are a special group that has made history in an already historical year.”

The Colquitt County competitive cheerleading squad includes Kaylee Barwick, Alyssa Carter, Makinley Clark, Chandler Horne, Laney McKellar, Megan Young, Morgan Griner, Maycey Kight, Jalyssa Brown, Grace Costin, Jaiden Lane, Nyla Lewis, Lanier Baker, Ada Sutton, Marlie Daniels, Brooklyn James and Ashley Almond.

The group is under the direction of Elaina Johnson, who also coached a number of the girls when they were in middle school.

“It is unique because most of these girls, she planted the seed when they were in middle school and now her hard work back then is paying off now,” Wier said.