Cheerleaders Claim Second-Straight Section 1 Game Day Championship

With discussions swirling surrounding the upcoming renovation of the trophy display area outside Eastchester High School’s main gymnasium, it’s only fitting that an Eagles team decided to add one more piece of hardware to the school’s collection last week. 

On Sunday, Nov. 2, Eastchester’s varsity cheerleading team won the Section 1 Class B Game Day Championship at Arlington High School for the second straight year, earning a trip up to Hudson Valley Community College to compete for the state crown this weekend. 

Eagles head coach Stephanie Leone said that given the Eagles’ showings at competitions this fall—and seeing how locked in the group was prior to their routine on Sunday—it wasn’t hard to believe that they had what it took to win their second straight title this weekend. 

“They were absolute perfection; from the second that they huddled up to get set on the mat,” said Leone. “We’ve had shirts with the mantra ‘Eastchester Energy’ on them since last year, and the second that they stepped on the mat, that energy was all-consuming and it was the most positive and unbelievable thing.”

The team knew they were primed for success on Sunday, said tri-captain Annie McLoughlin, who pointed out that the team had performed the routine to great success this fall.

“I don't want to say we expected it," said McLoughlin. "But we were all on the same page going into the competition; the consistency this year has been amazing."

“Two weeks prior, we were at a Westchester competition and received the highest score for a routine that we had ever received in the program’s history,” said Leone. “And then on Sunday, we actually beat it with a score of 98.2.”

The Eagles were also buoyed by an enthusiastic turnout on Sunday, not only from friends and family but also from members of the district’s modified and JV programs, who turned up to cheer on the squad from the sidelines.

“We had an unbelievable fanbase, from family and friends to the JV and modified athletes who all came to support them,” said Leone. 

“I told my coaches right after we finished that I wish I had a bodycam on me so that I could re-watch what I saw when we were competing," said tri-captain Liana Mingione. “Seeing our friends, family and coaches cheering for us so loud, it was indescribable.”

Now with sectionals behind them, the Eagles will travel to Hudson Valley Community College this weekend to compete for a state championship.

“We just need to think of it like we're performing in our home gym," said tri-captain Isabella Caserta. "We need to just approach it like we do any other competition and the energy and excitement will carry us through."