- April 5, 2025
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The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding squad competes at the State Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
FHSAA competitve cheerleading judges prepare for the Region 2 teams to take the mat at Hagerty High School-home of the Huskies. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Windermere Prep Lakers launch the FHSAA Region 2 cheerleading competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland competitive cheerleader coaches and assistants Ahmad Dixon, Tanesia Newman and Harmonie King prepare to watch their team at the FHSAA Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland competitive cheerleading team mom Brittney Hubbert (left) and head coach Jenece Giddens (right) prepare to watch their team at the FHSAA Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland cheerleaders G'lia Foster (left) and Michya Hickley (right) at the FHSAA regional competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheer team perfoms at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding squad competes at the State Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Trinity Christian Academy cheerleading team from Deltona performs at the State Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
Colonial High School places second at the FHSAA Region 2 cheerleading competition held at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding squad competes at the State Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding squad competes at the State Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding squad competes at the State Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding squad competes at the State Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze small co-ed cheerleeding team places second at the FHSAA Region 2 competitive cheerleading meet held at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The New Smyrna Beach Cudas beat Seabreeze and take first in the small co-ed division at the FHSAA Region 2 cheerleading competition at Hagerty High School. They advance to the Class 2A State Championships. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland Buccaneers competitive cheeerleading team pose together after the FHSAA Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
Competitive cheerleaders (from left to right) Peyton Roddy, Josie Ganz, Jayda Joyce, Cassidy Hill and Casey Gainey cheer for DeLand during the FHSAA Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze competitive cheerleading head coach Megan Lambert cheers for DeLand during the FHSAA Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleaders gather before the results are announced at the FHSAA Region 2 meet where they placed second in the small co-ed divsion. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze competitive cheerleaders (left to right) Regan Gallagher, Lyla Roberson, Hannah Finnegan and Carmen Velez cheer for DeLand during the FHSAA Region 2 meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheerleading team's high-flying stunts wowed the crowd at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheerleading team's high-flying stunts wowed the crowd at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleader D'aveon Brown carries the school flags after the FHSAA Region 2 competitive cheerleading meet at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheerleading team perfoms at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheerleading team perfoms at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheerleading team perfoms at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland cheerleading team's high-flying stunts wowed the crowd at the FHSAA Region 2 competition at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
The DeLand competitive cheerleading team compete in the medium co-ed division at the FHSAA Region 2 meet. Photo by Michele Meyers
The DeLand competitive cheerleading team places first in the medium co-ed division at the FHSAA Region 2 meet. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Carmen Velez cheers with Seabreeze in the small co-ed division at the FHSAA Region 2 meet held at Hagerty High School in Oviedo. Photo by Michele Meyers
“Feel the breeze,” resonated throughout Oviedo’s Hagerty High School gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 27 as Seabreeze took to the mat during the FHSAA Region 2 competitive cheerleading tournament.
The Sandcrabs cheer team is off to the State Championship Class 1A semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 3 in Lakeland after placing second to New Smyrna Beach (64.50) in the small coed division with a 63.50. The Barracudas will compete in the Class 2A finals on Friday, Feb. 2.
“I’m really proud of them for fighting through everything they’ve fought through this season,” Seabreeze head cheerleading coach Megan Lambert said. “I know they’re going to come out at states and fight through semifinals to make it to finals.”
She said the team has been battling illness and injuries, but Seabreeze remains the top scoring team in Region 2, Class 1A.
I love my teammates—I think we are a great team. We are going to put this in the past and move on. Sometimes the difference is between whether you can give 100 or that 101%. This is something we can reflect on now and say, ‘this wasn’t our best performance but the next one (state championships), we are going to give our all. We are going to give it that 101%’. - Lyla Roberson, Seabreeze competitive cheerleading team captain
“Nothing this season has been easy for us so we are used to the fight,” Lambert said. “We’re a young team so we have to work on the little things. I think they need more confidence in themselves and know that they can hit the routine with a smile on their faces. We’re going to come back and fight stronger and harder at states.”
Team captain Lyla Roberson said leading up to regionals, they had to switch their main flyer due to a recent surgery that required bed rest. For the first time, they had to change their routine. As soon as she returned, one of their back spots suffered a shoulder injury and could not perform. It was necessary to alter the routine again. They had three days to practice the new version before regionals.
Roberson said their skill level is higher than the Barracudas but it all comes down to execution. At regionals, their pyramid did not come together which resulted in a missed flipping skill. According to the Florida High School Athletic Association website, any squad in violation of the general rules will be assessed a two-point deduction for each violation with specific safety regulations assessing five points for each violation.
“I’m pretty proud of what we did with what we had,” she said. “I definitely feel like we could have done better. It is what it is. We can’t do anything about changing the place that we came in.”
Mainland placed 14th in the small non-tumbling division. Their high-flying stunts drew exclamations from the crowd. Judges deducted six points in reference to how they caught the flyer which hindered their ability to advance to the state championship rounds.
“This year was a successful year,” Mainland head cheerleading coach Jenece Giddens said. “Even though we didn't advance to states, my girls fell back in love with cheer. Heck, so did I. Competition season was another learning experience for the girls. We took a lot from what each judge had to say and we will use it and come back stronger than ever.”
Roberson said the best thing she can do heading into states is continue to support her teammates with praise and encouragement.
“I love my teammates—I think we are a great team,” she said. “We are going to put this in the past and move on. Sometimes the difference is between whether you can give 100 or that 101%. This is something we can reflect on now and say, ‘this wasn’t our best performance but the next one (state championships), we are going to give our all. We are going to give it that 101%’.”
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