Published: Nov 25, 2023 7:00 am
Newtown Youth Cheer had a remarkable showing at the Shoreline Locals Cheer Competition in North Haven on October 21 and again at the Connecticut State Cheer Competition on November 4. All four cheer teams, comprising 95 cheerleaders, participated in the events. The D8 Team, functioning as an exhibition-only team, showcased the fantastic skills of these young athletes in second and third grade, many of whom performed for the first time.
All three of Newtown’s competition teams — D10, D12, and D14 — secured first place trophies in both competitions. This outstanding achievement earned them the opportunity to advance to the New England Regional Cheer Competition in New Hampshire on November 19. The D14 team took first place again and the D12 took third. Both qualify for Nationals in Florida December 7-11. The D10 team also had a strong performance on the mats.
The D14 cheerleaders are, from left, front: Lily Willinger, Reese Roland, Hailey Velsmid, Cassie Shpak, and Macie Phillips; middle: Elisabeth Medina, Abby Guagliano, Mikaela Sisenstein, Alexa Harrison, and Gabby Class; and back: Teagan Luby, Maddie Moore, Charlotte Oltran, Ava Keil, Sammie Celli, and Lily Figueroa.
The D12 cheerleaders are, from left, front/sitting: Hailey Connell, Ellie Pickard, Samantha Demming, Marley Wilson, and Aviva Fung; middle/kneeling: Juliette Martins, Giavanna Dentice, Avery Bowen, Gemma Marks, Briella San Souci, Lola Ventura, Regan Kelly, Teagan Burke, and Brooke Fattibene; and back: Grace Perez, Chloe Cesca, Savannah Cintron, Mariana Pavia, and Roslyn Castaldi.
D10 cheer squad members are, from left, front: Hadley McMurdo, Avianna Leonardi, Hayden Salinger, Victoria Maklyan, Ellie Veneziano, Lydia Field, Bianca Castaldi, Kayleigh Campbell, Mackenzie Campbell, Gabriella Cabrera, Mia Oddo, and Teagan Hufnagel; and back: Coaches Rebecca Fung, Melissa DellaCorte, and Callie Jeanfaivre, along with cheerleaders Adina Fung, Aviana Nirenberg, Kyra Connelly, Brooke Duncan, Sophia Silva, Brynn McCambley, Alexa Kitay, Madison Vaccaro, Emma Skura, Isabelle Jeanfaivre, Sawyer Gottschalk, Giuliana Rocco, Alison Pendergast, Eleanor Driscoll, Hannah Bowen, Reese Laufer, and Juliana Buzel, and Coaches Tracy Veneziano and Shannon Bowen. Not pictured: Dawn Field.
The D8 cheerleaders are, from left, front: Sofia Scaglione, Marilena Vaccaro, Charlotte Krebs, Celia Kling, Rose Pagnotta, Ella Paloian, Kimberly Bartolo, Nora Burke, and Riley Ann Antoinette; middle: Ellis McGee, Lyla Salinger, Lillie Dougherty, Brynn Clark, Brielle Keil, Aija Visners, Jamison Ashby-Monroe, Sydney Skiba, and Mia Mierzejewski; and back: Teagan Conant, Evie Ramsdell, Haylee Martin, Grace McCambley, Emmy Bell, Kenley Feli, Camryn Potter, Maya Loucks, Marley Giannelli, and Ellie Metzner. Not pictured: Cecily Auresto.
