March 05, 2019 at 07:24AM
Richmond High School celebrates its first state cheerleading championship since 2013. (Photo: Submitted photo)
It was a special week for Richmond High School.
Last week, Richmond High School hung with one of the state's best teams on the hardwood court, had a wrestler win a state championship and also put on yet another showstopping cheer performance.
Richmond traveled to the Deltaplex in Grand Rapids for the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 Cheerleading Finals.
After finishing as the runner-up in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, Richmond broke through for its first state championship since 2013.
"The kids have gone through a ton of heartbreak and fighting through adversaries," Richmond coach Kelli Matthes said. "Taking runner-up is an accomplishment. But when you fall short you begin to doubt you are worthy of this or you are enough.
Richmond High School won its first cheer title since 2013. (Photo: Submitted photo)
"That was our slogan. Blue is worthy and we are enough. We came into the season with a lot of different philosophies. We made changes and did a lot of things differently to try and change the outcome. We trained differently and did everything we could to give them an extra edge. It worked. They bought into it from the beginning and focused on getting better."
Richmond won all three rounds of the competition, en route to scoring first (787.42). Richmond recorded the highest score of each round, taking the first round with 236.4 points, the second round (231.52) and the third (319.5) to hold off Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (777.72).
"We knew after the first round that we had a lead," coach Matthes said. "After the second round, we came in on top again and the lead got bigger. I preached to my kids to take everything one section at a time.
"One of the last things I said to them was don't expect it to be perfect. It won't be. But if something goes wrong we have to adjust and fight. It was pretty amazing to see them celebrate it. To watch the kids that have been here three or four years and had setbacks finally get a chance to celebrate. It was overwhelming."
Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11.
Richmond High School celebrates its first state cheerleading championship since 2013. (Photo: Submitted photo)
It was a special week for Richmond High School.
Last week, Richmond High School hung with one of the state's best teams on the hardwood court, had a wrestler win a state championship and also put on yet another showstopping cheer performance.
Richmond traveled to the Deltaplex in Grand Rapids for the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 Cheerleading Finals.
After finishing as the runner-up in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, Richmond broke through for its first state championship since 2013.
"The kids have gone through a ton of heartbreak and fighting through adversaries," Richmond coach Kelli Matthes said. "Taking runner-up is an accomplishment. But when you fall short you begin to doubt you are worthy of this or you are enough.
Richmond High School won its first cheer title since 2013. (Photo: Submitted photo)
"That was our slogan. Blue is worthy and we are enough. We came into the season with a lot of different philosophies. We made changes and did a lot of things differently to try and change the outcome. We trained differently and did everything we could to give them an extra edge. It worked. They bought into it from the beginning and focused on getting better."
Richmond won all three rounds of the competition, en route to scoring first (787.42). Richmond recorded the highest score of each round, taking the first round with 236.4 points, the second round (231.52) and the third (319.5) to hold off Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (777.72).
"We knew after the first round that we had a lead," coach Matthes said. "After the second round, we came in on top again and the lead got bigger. I preached to my kids to take everything one section at a time.
"One of the last things I said to them was don't expect it to be perfect. It won't be. But if something goes wrong we have to adjust and fight. It was pretty amazing to see them celebrate it. To watch the kids that have been here three or four years and had setbacks finally get a chance to celebrate. It was overwhelming."
Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11.
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