The Banner Staff
Extreme Thunder Cheer Company in Duncan has produced a national champion for the second consecutive year.
The senior-level 4.2 cheerleading team brought home a megaphone-shaped trophy recognizing its first-place finish at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) All-Star Nationals Feb. 20 and 21 in Dallas.
The 18 girls comprising the championship squad range in age from 11 to 17 and hail from eight different communities in five counties.
Champion All-Stars from Stephens County include Sydney Coursey, McKinsey Haught, Chyan Houston, Kayce Miller, Kelsie Montgomery, Madison Murphree and Lauren Presswood, all of Duncan; Madison Parsons of Marlow; and Jade Bowen and Kierstin Morton of Comanche.
But it wasn’t just girls from Stephens County that made up the squad. Ne-I-Sha Robinson and Meagan Scott of Lawton, Shyana Daniels of Elgin, Rylee Chapman of Lindsay, Lacie Metts of Yukon and Elisha Bates, Tiffany Bates and Shelby Miller of Lone Grove also participated on the championship team.
Donnie Davis is the squad’s coach and is a nine-year veteran of cheer coaching. He received assistance from Kristy Houston, Tina Bates and Melissa Kohout, all of whom have daughters on the team.
Extreme Thunder competed against cheerleading teams from all over the country. At the NCA contest were two teams from Texas, one from Louisiana, one from California and another from Oklahoma.
In preparing for the NCA contest, the cheerleaders gathered at a gym on the south side of Duncan on Sunday afternoons. Their preparation included tumbling and stunts along with cheer and dance routines.
The second-place team was announced resulting in Extreme Thunder being a repeat champion, but there was a pause in celebration by the team in a show of sportsmanship to its competitors. The roar from those in attendance was another story as family members and other supporters cheered when the announcement was made knowing Extreme Thunder was going to be crowned.
Extreme Thunder also brought home honors for the most innovative choreography in their division.
The NCA is one of the longest running organizations of its kind in the nation. The win qualified Extreme Thunder for the NCA’s International Championship which will be held in April in Dallas.
Three other teams at Extreme Thunder also participated in various competitions and brought home a number of trophies this season.
The junior-level 2 teams consists of Cordova Alanis, Kayla Arter, Hayli Blalock, Bayle Bucceri, Jessica Chao, Shaelynn Ellsworth, Jayle Feil, Madelynn Girod, Dakota Guffey, Bailey Hinshaw, Kendall Jones, Hunter Shelby, Meagan Taylor and Morgan Williams.
Members of the min-level 1 squad include Bethany Bailey, Abby Eason, Makenna Fishgrab, Madelynn Girod, Carley Haught, Jenna Johnson, Karsyn Jones, Ensley Kohout, Aries Miller, Jessica Murray, Kelly Murray, Brooklyn Revels, Danielle Walker and Gracie Yates.
The exhibition team, known as the Wildcats, is a group of girls ranging in age from 2 to 6. Cheerleaders include Karigan Bacon, Carson Baker, Gracie Bates, Cayman Bucceri, Allye Haile, Carley Harris, Mystick Palmer, Savanna Wainscott and Brooklyn Walden.
