Regional cheering competitions postponed, moved to Millinocket and Lewiston

By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff

The Maine Principals Association’s regional cheering competitions scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor and the Augusta Civic Center have been postponed due to the impending snowstorm and rescheduled for the following Saturday, Feb. 5.

The Class B North, C North and D North/South regional competition will be held at Stearns High School in Millinocket, and Lewiston High School will host the Class A North and South along with Class B and C South.

The state championship competition will be held at the Augusta Civic Center on Feb. 12.

The top six teams from each regional in Classes A, B and C will compose the 12-team state championship field in each class and the top six from the North/South regional will move on to the Class D state meet.

Stearns High School Principal/Athletic Director Beth Peavey said she is looking forward to hosting the regional cheering competition.

“We hosted the PVC North cheering for the small schools [C and D] last weekend and things went really well,” Peavey said. “Obviously, they couldn’t hold it at the Cross Insurance Center so we’re glad they will still be able to have this competition for the kids. They’re what is most important.”

Peavey noted that Stearns has two gyms that will be available for the cheerleaders.

“We have a very large high school gym for the competition and a smaller middle school gym where they can hold a practice, do some lifts and fine-tune their routines before coming over to the high school gym and performing,” Peavey said.

“We are very grateful that we have a beautiful facility here,” she added.

She will be working closely with competition directors Marty Gray and Dave Utterback.

“They will be the organizers and we will all work together to make sure things go smoothly,” she said.

The competition should give the local economy a boost due to the anticipated number of students and fans.

Unfortunately, Stearns High School does not have a team this winter.

“We had a fall cheering team but some of the girls were unable to do it this winter,” said Peavey, citing a combination of COVID-19 and injuries.

Last year’s cheerleading competitions were limited to virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Capturing state championships last year were Bangor High (A), Hermon (B), Monmouth Academy ©,  and Penobscot Valley of Howland (D).