Ward Melville cheerleaders capture state coed title

BINGHAMTON — The Ward Melville cheerleading squad proved that it thrives at the highest level.

In the Patriots’ second consecutive trip to the NYPHSAA Competitive Cheerleading State Championships, they clinched their second straight coed crown with a final score of 84.75 at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday morning.

“We work for what we get,” junior coed stunter and base Ian Licavoli said. “We have such long practices, and we work so hard, and it feels great to get the recognition.”

The Patriots finished ahead of Starpoint (Section VI) by 2.85 points. It marked the third straight state title for Ward Melville (5-4), which won the coed Game Day crown in the fall and earned its first state title last March with an 87.80 — the highest score of the competitive championship.

“I tell them, ‘You built this house, this family, this legacy, now go protect it,’” coach Georgia Curtis said. “I think they thrive under the pressure. We had a little bit of a tough start to the season; they didn’t let it get them down. They knew they were one ‘yes’ away today and they had to kill it.”

After the Patriots won their second county title in February, they added more “flair” to their state routine, which included more expressive faces and poses. Ward Melville competed in front of more than 3,000 spectators at the eighth annual event.

“Adding flair for us is our favorite part,” senior flyer Emma Miller said. “We all love the performance aspect of cheerleading, so getting to have fun and perform in front of this amazing crowd was a great experience.”

Ward Melville’s championship routine consisted of a variety of coed stunts, including a rewind in the final pyramid. Licavoli has been adding more coed stunts to the Patriots’ routines since his freshman year, increasing the difficulty and nailing the execution.

“At first it was scary, but my flyer, Emma [Miller], helps me so much and we’re such a power duo,” Licavoli said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and my coaches. They push me to be the best I can be for this team and family.”

The Patriots will graduate three seniors this season and are excited about the chance for the younger members to continue building a legacy.

“This team and our coaches are so special, and we have full trust that they’ll continue to defend this house and family,” senior Emma Clontz said.

After earning its second consecutive county crown, Freeport finished third in the division with an 81.

“It felt amazing to not only be here again, but be here with this exact team,” senior backspot and two-time captain Nicole Hernandez said. “I’m just so proud of everything we accomplished no matter what place we got.”

Hernandez, one of five seniors on the team, has seen the growth of the squad since she was in eighth grade.

“I’m so grateful to be on this team. I get prouder and prouder every single year because we continue to show the dedication we have for this sport.”