Chesapeake, Fairland teams headed to national competition in D.C.

When the UCA Bluegrass Regional cheerleading completion wrapped up at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on Nov. 23, two teams from Lawrence County had qualified for the next big competition.

Fairland and Chesapeake high schools got the bid to compete in the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, set for Feb. 6-11.

Both schools won in the Small Varsity Game Day division.

It was the third year in a row for Fairland, coached by Abbi Stitt, with assistant coach Maureen Stitt, her mother.

Fairland’s team this year is comprised of seniors, Picklesimer, Mary-Kate Porter, Lilly Rickard, Brinkley Spears and Maddy Rummel; juniors Kennedi Fulks, Grace Miller, KK Ulrich, Claire Southard, Alexis Short and Jade D’Angelo; and freshmen Mary Gannon, Neveah Clark, Kinley Cesario and Ryleigh Franklin.

Stitt said they hope to compete during four days of the event, from Feb 8-10.

She noted members of the team have taken part in all three of the victories at Bluegrass Regional.

This will be the school’s fourth time at nationals in the 2020s, having previously taken part in 2024, 2023 and 2020.

Stitt notes that this team is unique in that it has five seniors this year.

The team’s captain is Picklesimer, who after this trip, will, herself, have competed three times at nationals.

The team is accepting donations for the trip to nationals. Stitt said that anyone interested in helping can drop off or mail a check to Fairland High School, at 812 County Rd 411, Proctorville, OH 45669. Donations should include a note specifying they are for the cheer team.

For Chesapeake, it is their first time in more than two decades at a national competition, coach Ashley Hall said.

Chesapeake’s team is comprised of captains Lexi Moss, Lauren Pater, Abigail Pennington and Rachel Massie, along with McKayla Burriss, Kendall Root, Lexi Adkins, Addison Arthur, Sophie Wagner, Madi Smith, Maddy Black, Addy Damron and Chloe Roush.

Hall said the team has four seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen.

She said the members have worked hard to bring competitive cheer back for the school. She said they have been “embracing something new,” noting this is their first year of doing Game Day style, which she described as a three-minute routine, made up of a band chant, a sideline, a crowd cheer and the school fight song.

“They’re leading a crowd like they would at a ball game,” she said.

Hall said the team has also been raising money through various projects for the Florida trip, including a “Sponsor a Princess” fundraiser. She said anyone wanting to donate can visit the Chesapeake High School cheerleading page on Facebook.