St. Paul repeats as state champions

SUNBURY — Allyson Takacs could breathe again. All the stress, previous injuries, and near misses went away in a matter of seconds. In a season that saw the St. Paul competition cheer program replace 11 athletes with eight returners, including just three seniors, the Flyers are still on top. Competing in the Game Day Building category, St. Paul repeated as the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) Division VI state champions on Feb. 21 in the 34th annual event at Big Walnut High School. One of three seniors along with Georgia Crabbs and Chloe Hazelwood, Takacs described the moment the team was announced as state champions. "You can definitely breathe again," she said. "We were squeezing each other's hands as hard as we could. You're just hugging everyone in that moment, and it's just … it's not the same as winning a basketball game. "It's not something you can experience in another setting." Like most teams in a typical season, the second state championship was not without some last-minute issues. Takacs was in a walking boot this week until the performance because of an ankle sprain. Another teammate tweaked a nagging hamstring injury during warm-ups just 30 minutes beforehand on Saturday. "It always seems to happen during state week," St. Paul head coach Katie Weisenberger said. "Both those girls powered through and did a great job. We always seem to have setbacks around this time, but the kids really put it all together today. "I personally think it was their best routine of the season." This season's team also had seven freshmen among the 15 who competed on Saturday. "We only had three seniors come back this year, and they led the team so well," Weisenberger said. "They took a big freshman class under their wings and helped them get better and be their best today. "Their improvement from June until what they showed today has been incredible. My assistant coach Morgan (Shober) said last night, 'I can't believe how far they've come.' It's been a fun ride this year." Takacs said the senior trio didn't look at the season as a rebuild but as a new year for opportunities. "It was hard with a lot of underclassmen, but I think everyone took it as, we had to work harder," she said. In 2023 and 2024, the Flyers finished state runner-up by the slimmest of margins. Now, they've added two years to a banner in their gymnasium at the school. "It's still been about new opportunities in these four years," Takacs said. "The way we took second our first two years was tough, but I think once we realized we were able to do it, and no matter what happened, we were still making school history being in that position. "Being back-to-back state champions is another way to add to that history and something we can be proud of." Weisenberger said all a team can do is control their own routine and how it looks. "As long as we're proud of the routine they do, we're proud as coaches; it's all we can ask for," she said. "Game Day is so subjective with the judges. Someone can really like it, but another may not as much. The scores often reflect that. "We never go in expecting to win again at this point. We'll work hard out of regionals to try our best and make our routine better, but it is nice to be back in this position with two straight state championships." Two days before the state competition, it was announced the OASSA and the Ohio High School Athletic Association will partner up to recognize the annual OASSA state championships as the official cheerleading state championship for Ohio. In the press release, OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute stated the organization is looking to add competitive cheer as an official sport. Consider Takacs among the big supporters for such a move. "It definitely has a unique skill set," she said. "It's a personal sport, but also a team sport. You do your best, but you also have to rely on your teammates to do their best. It's the same as, say, basketball and other sports in that sense. "But your whole team, if they lose, you lose. It's a team sport, you have fun, and although the competitions are long, grueling days, you make memories you'll never forget. "It may be a three-minute performance, but you're yelling, dancing, and hitting your motions as tight as you can without stopping. You're going to be tired, but being exhausted when it's over is so worth it."