Tyrone hosted the Mountain League Cheerleading Championship for the first time on Saturday, January 22nd at Tyrone Area High School.

Tyrone Cheer Coach, Amy Fleck, said that the event has been planned for a while.

“In 2020, we began planning our own competition to be held in November. COVID hit and our competition planning quickly came to an end. Then in 2021, we heard that Bald Eagle Area was no longer hosting the Mountain League Cheerleading Championships. In September we began planning the event,” said Fleck.

Twenty-four scholastic and all-star cheer teams competed, as well as the Tyrone Cheerleaders, who competed in exhibition.

The scholastic teams that participated were Philipsburg-Osceola, Bellefonte, State College, Huntingdon, West Branch, and Richland. The three local All-Star and dance teams that attended were Volition All-Star Cheer, Cheer Fusion, and Dance Fusion. Johnstown Storm and the Clearfield Starz also competed.

Volition’s Tiny Novice and Junior level 1 won first, Junior level 2 won second, and their Youth/Junior Hip Hop won third. They also brought a cheer abilities team who used this competition as an exhibition.

Although it was a cheer competition, Tyrone Dance Fusion brought their junior and senior hip hop groups.

“I know the team as a whole was looking forward to being a part of something different. We usually don’t get to experience how other sports compete so it was awesome to be involved in a different atmosphere,” said Dance Fusion senior dancer Marley Grazier.

Cheer Fusion and Dance Fusion’s Senior Hip Hop won first, and their Youth/Junior Hip Hop won second.

One thing Grazier didn’t expect was the kind sportsmanship from the other teams.

“Oftentimes when sports crossover it gets slightly cutthroat, but the cheerleaders were so kind. Our TAHS cheerleaders helped us along the way, defined terms during awards, and treated us as equals and not outsiders. The team had a wonderful time and we are so grateful to be a part of the exciting event,” said Grazier.

The cheerleaders were judged on their jumps, partner stunts, pyramids, standing/running tumbling, dance, and overall performance.

The team that took home the Mountain League Champion Title, as well as the Scholastic Grand Champion, was Philipsburg-Osceola.

The All-Star/Performance Rec Champion was Clearfield Starz Eclipse. The Dance Grand Campion was Johnstown Storm Subzero.

Fleck is looking forward to making this an annual event.

“We had a good turnout for our first competition. We are already making notes and setting dates for next year,” said Fleck.

The event was sponsored by many local businesses, including Pine Orthodontics, Encompass Health, Sheetz, Tyrone Cleaning, DelGrosso Foods, DelGrosso Park, Women’s Club Of Tyrone, Bull Penn, Northern Blair Rec Center, and Logan Beverage.