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Archive for the ‘Cheer’ Category

Wolf cheerleader Amber Benway. (John Fisken photo)

   Wolf cheerleader Amber Benway is enjoying her first year in the program. (John Fisken photo)

Amber Benway loves being a cheerleader.

The Coupeville High School junior jumped at the opportunity and hasn’t looked back, embracing everything about her new sport.

“I started doing cheer because I love cheer and I loved what they were doing and I wanted to get involved with that,” Benway said.

Summer cheer camp, where she got a chance to hang out and work with her new teammates, sealed the deal for her.

“We went to camp and it was just a lot of fun,” Benway said “Cheer is so fun, because you’re with a group of ladies that you know know what they’re doing and you’re learning new things and you’re doing new stunts.”

Helping her along the way have been a variety of veteran teammates and coaches, all of whom she holds near and dear.

“The person that helped me through cheer was Kaela (Hollrigel), my captain,” Benway said. “She is the most bright and beautiful person I know.

“And my second captain, Kiara (Burdge), she has been there for me too.”

Along with her team leaders, Benway draws a great deal of support and encouragement from her coach, as well.

“My coach, Cheridan (Eck), she started me in cheer and she is just the most wonderful person I know!”

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Julie Bucio leads off our CHS cheer portrait session. (John Fisken photos)

Julie Bucio leads off our CHS cheer portrait session. (John Fisken photos)

Jaden Marrs

Jaden Marrs

Mica Shipley

Mica Shipley

The Wolf cheer squad, moments before taking the field for the first game of the season.

The Wolf cheer squad, moments before taking the field for the first game of the season.

Moira Reed

Moira Reed

Kiara Burdge

Kiara Burdge

Natalie Hollrigel

Natalie Hollrigel

OK, life isn’t always fair.

We’re starting off with that because I have 25 portraits of Coupeville High School cheerleaders and not enough room to run all of them at one time.

I mean, I have the room (it’s the internet, there are no page lengths), but very few people will scroll through that epic a story.

Most of my photo essays are a crisp six to eight photos, which has seemed to be the ideal length for readers.

Enough pics to feel like you got your money’s worth (even though you viewed this page for free…), without total brain overload.

So, I tried to make things as equal as possible by tossing the numbers 1-25 in a random number generator and letting the whims of fate pick who gets their glossy portraits on the internet this fine day.

Truth be told, at some point this season all of the portraits will appear, so, for those who didn’t make the cut (as selected by sheer randomness), your time will come.

And after all, photo #4 is a team photo, so you’re all there anyway.

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Clay Reilly (John Fisken photos)

   Clay Reilly (2) sees the end zone and he’ll be danged if anyone is getting in his way. (John Fisken photos)

Mckenzie

Wolf cheerleader Mckenzie Meyer touches the heavens.

Payton

   Spikers Sarah Wright (left) and Payton Aparicio hone their already-formidable bumping skills.

Ashleigh

Wolf frosh Ashleigh Battaglia kind of enjoys cheer. At least a little bit.

Willow

Willow Vick is locked in the zone.

line

A Wolf lineman offers the stare o’ death.

Julie Bucio

Julie Bucio embraces school spirit, full tilt.

Hunter

   The past meets the future, as junior QB Hunter Downes fires a pass while being monitored by offensive coordinator Brad Sherman, who holds all the CHS passing records.

Scout

Freshman Scout Smith (center) jumps into the fray on day one.

Put in the work now, win later.

That’s the goal for Coupeville High School’s fall sports programs, which all put in practice time Monday.

Wandering camera clicker John Fisken was able to nab three of the five Wolf teams in action, netting volleyball, football and cheer.

Boys tennis and girls soccer were also scheduled to make their practice debuts Monday, and we’ll try and nab some photos of those squads in the coming days.

Until then, a picturesque look at some of the Wolves who will light up the scoreboard this season.

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Happy (John Fisken photos)

   The hour was early, but the excitement was already rippling through the gym. (John Fisken photos)

Ja'Tarya Hoskins

   Ja’Tarya Hoskins, perhaps dreaming of those fading summer days when she could still sleep in.

Kiara

Senior Kiara Burdge provides veteran experience.

Mckenzie

   Tell Mckenzie Meyer cheer is not a sport (something I would NEVER do),  and she will break you in half.

team

Strong with spirit, they are.

No rest for the cheer warriors.

Coupeville High School cheerleaders were hard at work Wednesday morning, fine-tuning their routines in advance of the start of a new football season.

The Wolves will take to the sidelines for the first time Sept. 3, when CHS hosts South Whidbey in the Battle for The Bucket.

By then, Coupeville’s loudest ‘n proudest will be a well-oiled machine, honed to a razor edge by coach Cheridan Eck.

Falcon fans will never know what hit ’em.

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Kaela Hollrigel (and cheer buddy Mckenzie Meyer). (John Fisken photos)

Kaela Hollrigel, the serene star of the cheer world. (John Fisken photos)

She’s a bright, shining star on a rocket ride to Amazing Land.

Kaela Hollrigel, who has lived on Whidbey Island for a little less than two years, has used her time here wisely.

The Coupeville High School senior, who celebrates a birthday today, jumped right in and made an impact on multiple fronts.

She came out swinging for the fences as a first-time Wolf cheerleader last year, taking home the Wolf Award for football season and Most Spirited while rooting for Coupeville’s hoop squads.

Now Hollrigel is set to be a team leader in her final go-around in the red and black, just as little sis Natalie joins the squad as a freshman.

While Kaela fits perfectly as a cheerleader — she was just born super-cheerful, I bet — her time spent working the sidelines is just a small part of her busy life.

Go down her list of accomplishments and it’s one high point after another.

An ASB leader.

Proud member of the National Honor Society.

A key contributor to Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

The brains behind a super-successful community blood drive.

Hollrigel is one of our best and brightest, a kind, genuinely sweet and friendly young woman who mixes academics and sports and emerges as a strong, committed leader with boundless upside.

She is going places, and while it’s her remarkable brain which is driving the car, it’s her serene, welcoming nature which makes others cheer for her along the way.

You can’t help but like Kaela, whether you’re part of her inner circle or just a fan in the stands.

Happy birthday, Miss Hollrigel.

May your senior year, and all the years to come, be as awesome as you are.

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