By Fred Jeter
special correspondent

James River High’s first trip to the State Cheerleading Championships resulted in a mixed bag of emotions – some elation, some disappointment, and much confusion.

After winning Dominion District and Central Region titles, coach Autumn Nabors’ Rapids had to revise their complex, three-minute routine due to an injury to senior Cole Lamoreaux.
Lamoreaux, who figured heavily into each phase of the choreography, broke his ankle Nov. 10 in a tumbling exercise.

With alternate Madison DeFrancesco added into the fray, and with just two days preparation for a new arrangement, the Rapids finished fifth in the 16-team, Group AAA meet Nov. 14 at VCU’s Siegel Center.

“We’re proud of what we did – fifth at states; but we were left wondering,” Nabors said. “We really truly believed we should have been at least third.

“I could not have asked for a better performance from my cheerleaders,” she added

After the first go-round of spirited stunts, dance and tumbling on VCU’s blue mats, the Rapids had the third highest score (241.5) behind only (eventual champ) Fairfax (248) and North Stafford (251.5).

The top five then performed a second time before the judges, with a clean slate of scores. Based on a straw draw, James River – still breathing heavily from preliminaries - went first in finals.

“That didn’t help,” Nabors said.

Still, the Rapids completed their second showing with no deductions and a higher score (245.5) than before.

“And there were no comments on the (judge’s) score sheets,” said Nabors, referring to possible miscues observed.

Still, the Rapids plummeted from third to fifth, 4.5 points behind fourth-place Grassfield.

Instead of the more customary tears, there were mostly shrugged shoulders and bewildered expressions among the Rapids when scores were announced.

“We did better the second time,” said Nabors. “I guess all the other schools did a whole lot better.”

Nabors did not belabor the issue. Cheering is not a “scoreboard sport” where every point is registered for all to see.

It is a subjective activity with much freedom of scoring from judges, who are not required to critique their decisions. 

VHSL-appointed judges smiled on James River at districts and regions, but in the end, not at states.

“Last year we were only eighth at regionals … this year we’re fifth at states,” Nabors said. “James River had never done much of anything before.”

Among Central Region entries, J.R. Tucker was sixth, Deep Run 10th and Manchester 13th.

Fairfax, the 2008 runner-up was followed by Stone Bridge, North Stafford and Grassfield at the top of standings.

Schools from the North and Northwest Regions have won the competition every year since the inception of the event in 1997. Stone Bridge had won three of the previous four titles before Saturday night.

Tucker’s second-place finish in 2006 is best ever among Central Region squads. Cosby was fifth a year ago.