Senior captains Nicole Atwater and Elizabeth Aydt and junior captain Emily Nelson lead the Brainerd Warriors cheerleading team into its first competition of the season Saturday, Nov. 19, in the Extreme Cheer Challenge at East Ridge High School in Woodbury.
Atwater, Aydt and Nelson will be joined on the varsity by seniors Emily Felsheim and Alexea Groters, juniors Cassi Davis and Gallaya Karpeh and freshmen Kaylee Sutton, Harlee Timmons and Courtney Weinrich.
"Niki, Lizzie and Emily have done an amazing job pulling this squad together and creating a positive environment where each student wants to give 100 percent every day," Warriors head coach Deb Cervantez said. "I have a new assistant coach, Carissa Ulness, who has been an amazing addition to the Warrior cheer team. Carissa and I both have very high hopes for this year and we can't wait to see what these students will achieve."
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Brainerd Warriors
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- Head coach: Deb Cervantez, third year
- Assistant coach: Carissa Ulness, first year
- Captains: Nicole Atwater, Elizabeth Aydt, Emily Nelson
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Brainerd's junior varsity includes sophomore Lindsay Carner and freshmen Kelli Allison, Lily Hurlbert (captain), Jalisa Jones, Olivia Killoran, Jasmine Townsend (captain) and Rayah Unger and eighth-graders Kaitlynn Capistrant (captain), Allison Rudnick and Ella Schmitz, and seventh-grader Zoey Lavoy."
"Both squads this year are amazing groups of young ladies," Cervantez said. "They work hard every time they are on the mat, and are working hard off the mat to make a difference in the community they live in.
"We are hoping to make a strong showing at every competition this year with the ultimate goal being to make the finals round at state. Varsity will be competing in the small varsity non-tumbling division this year and JV will be competing in the JV non-tumbling division."
Last season, the Warriors finished ninth in the Class 2A non-tumbling Division I, 10th in varsity stunt team and won the JV non-tumbling division.
Varsity:
Seniors: Nicole Atwater, Elizabeth Aydt, Emily Felsheim, Alexea Groters
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Juniors: Cassi Davis, Gallaya Karpeh, Emily Nelson
Freshmen: Kaylee Sutton, Harlee Timmons, Courtney Weinrich
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Junior varsity:
Sophomore: Lindsay Carner
Freshmen: Kelli Allison, Lily Hurlbert, Jalisa Jones, Olivia Killoran, Jasmine Townsend, Rayah Unger
Eighth-graders: Kaitlynn Capistrant, Allison Rudnick, Ella Schmitz
Seventh grade: Zoey Lavoy
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Warriors schedule:
Nov 19: Extreme Cheer Challenge at East Ridge
Dec 17: Frost Fest Cheer Competition at St. Michael-Albertville
Jan 7: Tonka Freeze Competition at Minnetonka
Jan 22: Crimson Cheer Challenge at Maple Grove
Jan 28: Minnesota State Cheer Competition at St. Paul RiverCentre
