In the land of Mickey Mouse and Pluto, the Newtown High School cheerleaders competed on the grandest stage of all at the 2005 National Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida. The Lady Nighthawks finished second at the Regional Championships at SCSU on November 20 and fifth at the SWC championships on January 29 and left last Friday for the Sunshine State. The ‘Hawks competed against 52 other schools – such as Ouachita Parish High School of Monroe, Louisiana and Wetumpka High School of Wetumpka, Alabama – in the Large Varsity (All Girl) Division. The ‘Hawks competed in Group B and were fifth in the rotation behind Ursuline High School (Youngstown, Ohio), Hatboro-Horsham High School (Horsham, Pennsylvania), New Rochelle High School (New Rochelle, New York) and Swartz Creek High School (Swartz Creek, Michigan).

Ten teams out of Group B advanced to the semi-finals but, unfortunately, the ‘Hawks were not among those.

A total of 24 teams advanced to the semi-finals (some had automatic bids and 15 advanced to the finals (some had automatic bids, as well) and, in the end, it was Paul Laurence Dunbar School of Lexington, Kentucky, which defended its 2004 National Championship.

Some 200 high school squads competed in the Varsity All Girl division, but there were many other teams competing in the Partner Stunt, Junior High School, Freshmen, Junior Varsity, Varsity Co-Ed, and Non-Building divisions.

- Photos courtesy of Melissa Grossman