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Fairland’s national award-winning cheer team is comprised of Kadence Ulrich, Brinkley Spears, Alexis Short, Mary-Kate Porter, Kennedi Fulks, Maddy Rummel, Grace Miller, Claire Southard, Jena Picklesimer, Lilly Rickard and captains Katie Stitt and Kinsey Wray. (Submitted photo)

Members of Fairland High School’s cheerleading team are seen competing in the ESPN UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida. (Submitted photo)

Fairland High School’s cheerleading team competed in the ESPN UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, which took place from Feb. 9-12, placing fourth in their division. (Submitted photo)

Members of Fairland High School’s cheerleading team are seen competing in the ESPN UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida. (Submitted photo)

Fairland’s national award-winning cheer team, seen with coaches Abbit Stitt and Maureen Stitt, is comprised of Kadence Ulrich, Brinkley Spears, Alexis Short, Mary-Kate Porter, Kennedi Fulks, Maddy Rummel, Grace Miller, Claire Southard, Jena Picklesimer, Lilly Rickard and captains Katie Stitt and Kinsey Wray. (Submitted photo)

Greenup County High School’s cheerleaders won the title of World Champions in Medium Varsity Division II at the ESPN UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, which took place from Feb. 9-12. (Greenup Schools photo)

Members of Fairland High School’s cheerleading team are seen competing in the ESPN UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida. (Submitted photo)

Fairland cheerleaders place fourth for second consecutive year at nationals

ROME TOWNSHIP — For the second year in a row, Fairland High School’s cheerleaders have excelled at a national competition.

The team competed in the at the ESPN UCA National High School Cheer-leading Championship in Orlando, Florida, which took place from Feb. 9-12, after qualifying for the event at the Universal Cheerleaders Association Bluegrass Regional in Lexington, Kentucky on Nov. 18, 2023.

Fairland’s cheerleaders began competing at the national event on its third day and, when it was over, they placed fourth out of the 42 schools in the Small D2 Varsity Game Day division.

Fairland’s team was comprised of two seniors, five juniors and five sophomores and its members were Kadence Ulrich, Brinkley Spears, Alexis Short, Mary-Kate Porter, Kennedi Fulks, Maddy Rummel, Grace Miller, Claire Southard, Jena Picklesimer and Lilly Rickard, along with Katie Stitt and Kinsey Wray, who serve as captains.

Abbi Stitt coaches the team, along with Maureen Stitt, and was their coach when they went to the same national event last year, where they also took fourth place.

She noted that, although they placed the same as that event, this year, the gap between the first and fourth place teams was much smaller.

“It was less than half a point,” she said.

For six of the members of this year’s team — Stitt, Wray, Picklesimer, Rickard, Miller, Porter and Fulks — it was a return trip to Orlando to compete again.

Stitt said they received much support from the community as they prepared for this year’s trip, both in encouragement and in monetary donations.

She also noted that Jill’s Tumble World, located in Chesapeake, loaned the team their facility for practice space, as they did last year.

“Everyone has been great,” Stitt said.

This year’s results continue a winning tradition for the school and its cheerleaders. It is the third time in the past half-decade that team has qualified for and placed at nationals.

Greenup County High School’s cheerleaders won the title of World Champions in Medium Varsity Division II at the ESPN UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, which took place from Feb. 9-12. (Greenup Schools photo)

Coached under Shawna Leep that year, the team placed fourth at the same Orlando event in 2020.

The Tri-State fared well at this year’s national event, with cheerleaders from Greenup County High School, in Kentucky, earning the title of World Champions in Medium Varsity Division II at the event for the second year in a row, and the 17th national title for the school.

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