Red Raiders cheerleaders battle among best

HUNTLEY — A stellar season ended on a bright note for Huntley at the IHSA State Competitive Cheerleading Large Co-Ed Division competition.

In the finals, the Red Raiders finished with a 94.13 score, just behind champion Buffalo Grove’s 94.57. HHS was thrilled with its qualifying score in sixth place from the night before the finals to make the list among the state’s best at Bloomington.

“We were ecstatic, that we were able to overcome injuries and showed resiliency. It was amazing to be in the top 10,then go from sixth to second is huge,” HHS head coach Payton Cariato said.

Buffalo Grove edged the Red Raiders for crown by less than half a point.

The Red Raiders were a determined group to improve on the first day’s effort of 90.90.

“The coaches gave us a list of things and we watched the video of the first round over and over,” senior cheerleader Lyndsey Simmons said. Simmons and classmate Kendall Rabick have been involved in cheerleading since their toddler years.

“It was crazy,” senior cheerleader Matt Breese said. Breese and his sister, Nina, are both Red Raider cheerleaders, as Nina is on the JV team. Breese will continue cheering in college at Morehead State.

Gathering around HHS’s trophy included varsity team members: Amanda Apmann, Stephanie Biocsa, Matt Breese, Kylie Brown, Krista Eberhardt, Abigail Eberhardt, Abigail Fiandalo, Kendall Frankowitch, Connor Gerst, Meghan Giese, Amber Kowalski, Ella Olszewski, Riley O’Mara, Sydney Patel, Summer Pyra, Kendall Rabick, Kendall Schaupp, Lindsey Simmons, Estela Tafur, Kiley Tarczynski, Sophie Thompson and Ava Woo.