Blood, sweat, tears…and don’t forget pom-poms. The Carlisle High School Cheer Squad’s hard work paid off during the PIAA Competitive Spirit District Championships on December 12, where CHS qualified to compete at the state competition held on January 22-23.

While the squad encountered a few hiccups along the way, they were able to pull through and make Carlisle proud.

“We had a lot of problems like people quitting or getting hurt,” said senior Morgan White. “We really only had two weeks to get the routine solid with the people we had. So everyday, we practiced as hard as we could.”

This dedication and vigilance prepared the girls for anything the competition could throw at them – which turned out to be an eight-second increase in tempo for their routine music.

“The district’s music player made our music 8 seconds faster, but even with the change of tempo we pulled it off and nothing dropped,” senior Samantha Hernando said.

Carlisle will compete alongside schools such as Exeter and Spring Grove at State, who placed first and second respectively at the District Championships.

While the desire to continue advancing in the competitions increases daily as State draws near, it is important to keep in mind the fundamental beliefs that go hand in hand with cheer.

“It means passion and a way to show school spirit,” said Hernando. “I never thought I would be invested in cheerleading as much as I am now, but I don’t think I could have gone through all four years [of high school] without it. It makes me happy.”