- November 22, 2024
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For the first time in 10 years, Matanzas' competitive cheerleading team advanced to the state finals.
The Pirates finished 10th in the state in the Class 2A small division non-tumbling finals on Saturday, Feb. 4, at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville.
Matanzas finished sixth in the semifinals to advance to the finals.
"Our season was overall great," said fourth-year coach Emilly Coale. "We had such a new team with a lot of freshmen and sophomores who did not have much experience. Being able to advance to finals was such a great accomplishment."
There were 19 teams in the semifinals, including Flagler Palm Coast, which finished ninth. The top six advanced to finals, joining four teams that had previously qualified based on their regional finishes. Miramar won the division.
The small non-tumbling division allows up to 12 participants in a performance. Teams declare their division before the season.
Coale believes the Pirates can be even better next year.
"We should have pretty much the same team coming back," she said.