**See below for video interviews from Stone Bridge cheer**
By Dan Sousa
LoudounPrepSports.com Senior Content Editor
Ashburn (Sept. 19, 2008) – Three-time Virginia High School League state competitive cheer champion Stone Bridge High School will host Saturday the first annual DigitalSports Spirit Bowl.
The 11-team event features six teams from Loudoun (Broad Run, Freedom, Heritage, Loudoun County, Park View and host SB), two AAA Norther Region squads (McLean, Woodson), AAA two Northwest Region squads (Fauquier, Liberty) and AA Spotswood.
Host Stone Bridge, under first-year coach Nick Marchio — a former Bulldog cheerleader and three-year captain of the Virginia Tech squad — has captured state titles in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07. The Bulldogs were fourth in the AAA state tournament last year and have been a top five finisher in the state for seven consecutive seasons.
Saturday’s even is $5 per person with doors opening at noon and the first team competing at 1 p.m. The teams will compete in two divisions (Navy Blue and Silver). Awards will be presented around 3 p.m.
Marchio said that the talent runs so deep in the Ashburn area for competitive cheer that girls that don’t make the Stone Bridge program would be able to make varsity programs elsewhere.
“We had to cut 10 really good cheerleaders from the program this year,” said Marchio.
While Marchio says he has some “very, very big shoes to fill” … those shoes won’t be far away as former Stone Bridge cheer coach Joe Dolansky, Marchio’s mentor and the coach who led SB to the three state titles, is a volunteer assistant for the Bulldogs this season.
Marchio says that the skills and routines have improved dramatically since his days at Stone Bridge.
The Bulldogs won a state title in football in 2007 and SB cheer co-captains Sierra Ellis and Megan Knodell says there is a friendly rivalry at the school between the cheerleaders and football players. The football players claim they make the cheerleaders better as the cheer squad does a push-up for every point on the scoreboard after each Bulldog touchdown. With Stone Bridge averaging 51 points a game … that is a lot of push-ups.
For most of the schools, Saturday’s competition is a chance to work on elements of routines that will be unveiled come disrict and regional competition time.
“Heritage is very excited about the season. We’ve been working hard on our routine since early August,” said Heritage coach Whitney Loy. “Although we’ve had a few injuries and we’re not quite as prepared as we’d like to be for the Stone Bridge cheer competition this Saturday, we expect to be in great shape for the (Dulles) District competition this year in October.”
Another squad competing Saturday is Loudoun County coach Robin Ellison says that the Raiders are “exceeding (her) expectations so far.”
“We have several veteran members of the squad who are exhibiting great leadership skills and who have set the challenge to the team to win Districts this year!,” said Ellison. “The girls are focused and determined and the competition routine looks great. The LCHS squad is committed to the time and hard work that it takes to be a championship squad.”
The Raiders were third in the Dulles District in 2007 with Broad Run, also at Saturday’s competition, the district champion and AA state runner-up.
Stone Bridge Competition Cheer Over the Years
2000-2001: Third place Northwest Districts and fifth place Region II (coed)
2001-2002: NCA Top Team at camp, Dulles District Champions, Third place Region II, and Third place VHSL State competition (coed)
2002-2003: NCA Top Team at camp, Dulles District Champions, Region II Champions, and Runner-up at VHSL State competition (coed)
2003-2004: NCA Top Team at camp, Dulles District Champions, Region II runner-up, and Fourth place at VHSL State competition (all girl)
2004-2005: 2nd Annual Handley Cheer Challenge Winners, Dulles District Champions, Region II Champions, and VHSL AA State Champions (all girl)
2005-2006: 3rd Annual Handley Cheer Challenge Winners, Liberty District Semis Top Score, Liberty District Champions, Northern Region Semis second place, Northern Region Champions, VHSL AAA State Champions (all girl). *First ever, back-to-back state title in two divisions
2006-2007: 4th Annual Handley Cheer Challenge Winners, First Annual Park View Spiritfest Invitational Winners, Liberty District Semis Top Score, Liberty District Champions, Northern Region Semis second place, Northern Region Finals Runner-up, VHSL AAA State Champions (all girl). *Third state title in a row.
2007-2008: 5th Annual Handley Cheer Challenge: Fourth Place, 2nd Annual Park View Spiritfest Invitational Winners, First Place Liberty District Semis, Second Place Liberty District Finals, Fourth Place Northern Region Semis, Third Place Northern Region Finals, Third Place State Finals.
2008 DigitalSports Spirit Bowl
ROUTINE AND MUSIC: The routine must be a minimum of two minutes and thirty seconds (150 seconds) and not exceed three minutes (180 seconds). The music portion of the routine must not exceed 90 seconds. Coaches or team participants must cue and play their own music. (Navy Blue participants omitted)
COMPETITION OFFICIALS: A panel of three judges to adjudicate the competition routine, two safety judges to identify deductions of safety and execution regulations, two timers (one for music and one for overall routine length), an announcer, a sound technician, a licensed trainer, and a meet director.
SCORE SHEETS: Coaches will receive copies of their squad’s score sheets at the end of the competition.
JUDGING CRITERIA: The following categories will be judged up to the maximum points shown by each category. A perfect score is 100 points. The judges’ scores will be TOTALED and any safety judges deductions would then be taken. Judges will be seated at a table at the edge of the mat..
FUNDAMENTALS
Motion – 15 Projection – 5
Jumps – 15 Choreography – 5
Tumbling – 15 Transitions – 5
Stunts – 15 Degree of Difficulty – 5
Dance – 15 Overall Impression – 5
SAFETY/EXECUTION DEDUCTIONS: The following deduction will be taken per infraction
Over/Under Performance Time Limit – 10 (Unless is Division 1) Fall to Ground – 5
Exceeding Music Time Limit – 10 Fall Caught by Bases – 3
Exceeding Boundary Limits – 1 Tumbling Falls to hands, knees, or buttocks – 5
Dangerous Use of Props – 1 Unsportsmanlike Conduct – 10
Illegal Props or Stunts – 20 Appearance Infractions jewelry, hair, nails, hair device – 1
Illegal Execution of Stunt – 10 Improper Spotting Technique – 3
AWARDS: Awards will be given to 1st place teams in each division and an overall “spirit” award will be given (selected by participating teams).
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