There are impressive routines and then there is what Newtown High School’s cheerleading squad did in the South-West Conference Championships, at NHS on January 31. It was anything but routine as the Nighthawks not only repeated as champions but did so led by seven freshmen among 11 girls competing on the mat.

“It is pretty impressive. The level of skill they had to attain to stay on that mat is incredible,” Newtown Coach Susan Bridges said.

The level of talent was known to be strong. Newtown’s youth program traditionally has strong representation not only in the local and regional, but also national competitions; this year’s freshman class was part of the D12 team that won the National Championship a couple of years ago. And among the freshmen is Lilly Willinger who, last year, went up against several high school girls in the “stick and stand” competition after the regular routines — and came out on top.

“They’re really talented. I don’t think we’d be the team we are without them,” junior Mel Lordeiro said of the first-year high schoolers on the team. “Even though we’re all different ages we all just click. It’s like a family — like you’re competing with your sisters.”

“It’s really fun hanging out with the older girls,” freshman Reese Roland added.

With their youth cheer experiences as a strong base the girls combined efforts to put forth a riveting routine following several months of hard work in practice, nailing timing, and being challenged by coaches to incorporate flips, twists, tosses, tumbles, inversion skills, and more.

The Nighthawks scored 94.80 points, had zero deductions, and wowed the crowd that packed the stands to cheer on each of the SWC’s ten cheer teams. Brookfield was second with a score of 87.30, Joel Barlow of Redding third with 85, Masuk of Monroe fourth with 78, and Stratford came in fifth with 69.85.

“It feels so good. We put in so much work in the gym. It’s just an exhilarating feeling. I can’t even explain it,” Lordeiro said.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more. They did what we asked and they had fun, which is the most important thing,” said Bridges, who guides the team with the help of assistant coaches Elie Mouchantat and Caitlin Horvath.

Nighthawk cheer team members are Cydney Turoczi, Ella Macey, Ashley Jackson, Isabella Walder, Leticia DeOliveira, Mel Lordeiro, Abi Gonzalez, Maddie Moore, Anna Verashagin, Ava Keil, Mikaela Sisenstein, Kaelyn Rosvalley, Charlotte Oltran, Reese Roland, Macie Phillips, and Lily Willinger.

Newtown’s D10 and D14 teams, which will represent the town in the Global Championships in Atlantic City, N.J. during the February 8 weekend, gave the crowd a glimpse of the future of NHS cheer with exhibition performances on the mat.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.