The Dover High Green Wave gave about everything it had, but when the dust cleared at the 2014 New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I Fall Spirit Championships at Pinkerton Academy Sunday, Nov. 9, the host Lady Astros were celebrating another title.
The runner-up Dover crew came closest to ending the Pinkerton squad’s dominance, but veteran coach Michelle McCarty’s Lady Astros always seem to wind up having more of what it takes to wind up at the top in championship competition.
The 2014 fall spirit title was the academy varsity team’s fifth in a row and the 19th overall state crown for a PA spirit squad.
A total of 15 teams competed at the Division I level, but the other 14 still find themselves chasing the standard being set season after season by the Pinkerton Academy squad.
“The routine was the best I’ve seen from the team all season and commends them for showing up to tackle the best in D-1 yesterday,” said McCarty. “The timing, skill set, performance, and precision were absolutely second to none. The team dominated the floor from the first music cue to the last.”
The PA contingent fell roughly four points from a perfect routine, posting the highest score in program history at 105.6 out of a possible 110. Dover posted a score of 102.2 to claim the runner-up position.
The title-winning PA team includes senior captains Elisabeth Cox, Nicole Hillard and Nicole Saitta, and juniors Meghan Decosmo, Emily Dellisola, Madison Garnick, Alexandra Kirker, Valerie Quigley (an alternate captain), Taylor Sullivan, and Katiya Troutman.
The sophomores on the championship team include Alyssa Daigle, Kendra Hicks, Cameron LaRoche, Jillian Parnigoni, Hannah Rogers, Gemma Schena, Victoria Williams, and Camryn Teresky. And the freshmen are Olivia Deem and Kailey Kirker.
McCarty is assisted by Kristina Toney, Carol Quarles, and Jim Robidoux.
