The Lihu‘e Patriots Junior Midget cheer squad earned the top award Wednesday during the 2012 Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships in Florida. The Patriots JM squad, under the direction of coach Krytle Pongasi, edged out
The Lihu‘e Patriots Junior Midget cheer squad earned the top award Wednesday during the 2012 Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships in Florida.
The Patriots JM squad, under the direction of coach Krytle Pongasi, edged out the Palm City Dolphins by a mere .2 points to capture top honors in the Jr. Midget Cheer Level 3 Small competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Competition was fierce in the division as the Patriots racked up 86.02 points for top honors, getting past the second place team who tallied 85.82. The Taunton Tigers filled in third place with 82.88, just .18 better than fourth finishers Fleming Island Blue Eagles who tallied 82.70.
Earlier in the week, the Hanapepe Colts Junior Peewee cheer squad finished eighth place in the JPW Cheer, Level I, Small division, the category being ruled by the Sweetwater Ravens following the Monday round.
The Kailua Mustangs finished third with an 81.92 and the Kalani Falcons marked the highest Jump score with a 9.72.
On the gridiron, the Manoa Paniolo JPW team dropped to the Michigan City Wolves, 18-8, Tuesday during the semifinals of that division.
Wednesday the other remaining team, the Waianae Tigers, suffered a 20-14 loss at the hands of the Richmond Giants of Florida.
The champion Lihu‘e Patriot JM cheer squad is scheduled to return home Saturday, although no arrival information was available at press time.
Visit www.popwarnersb.com for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
