Du Quoin cheer squad had memorable trip to state finals
1.38 points and one place.
That's the slim difference between Knoxville finishing in 10th place at the cheerleading state finals preliminary round on Friday in Bloomington, and Du Quoin coming in 11th.
But even though they were disappointed to miss Saturday's Class 1A finals, the girls from Du Quoin had a memorable time in Bloomington, along with their coaches and the parents who heroically made it up north with the winter storm on their heels all the way.
"We did fantastic, fabulous," enthused head Coach Jennifer Davis. Looking at the raw scores after the Indians' performance Friday morning, they optimistically calculated the team would finish between 13th and 15th. When instead they finished 11th, it was a satisfying validation of their hard work all season.
"Once we qualified for finals we thought, 'Let's see how far we can really go,'" Davis said. "So we went in a little more relaxed, and we left there feeling great."
The team was scheduled to leave Du Quoin for Bloomington on Thursday, but the approaching winter storm made everyone uneasy.
"My principal (Tim McChristian) is calling me saying, 'You need to get out,'" Davis said. "Our superintendent (Matt Hickam) is asking, 'What do we need to do to get you there?'"
It was decided they had to leave Tuesday night, before anybody was ready to go. Suitcases were hurriedly packed, Davis's husband loaded a car with water, Gatorade, ramen noodles, mac and cheese. Some parents made a mad dash to Carbondale to pick up the "Making History" sweatshirts that had been ordered as a surprise for the girls.
"By golly, we pulled it together," Davis said. They were on the road to Bloomington by 6 p.m. and arrived about 30 minutes ahead of the sleet storm, parents trailing in their wake.
It proved to be a good move, because by Wednesday nobody could leave the hotel. The hotel provided a filling breakfast every morning, and Davis's room became the snack station, with kids stopping by when they got hungry. The hotel management accommodated space in the lobby with lounge chairs and a TV, and the girls would bring their pillows down and get comfy.
"It ended up being a really great time," Davis said. "I couldn't have done it without the parents who stepped up and helped.
"It was an experience they will never forget."
Southern Illinois was represented in the Class 1A finals - Carterville finished an impressive third and Pinckneyville seventh.
The Du Quoin squad will graduate five seniors this spring. Davis said while the competitive cheer season is over, they will still cheer at remaining basketball games. She's already missing her seniors.
"We've got some big shoes to fill," she said. "My seniors are hard workers, they were determined and they wanted this bad. Every day they came to practice giving 100 percent. They are also hard to replace because they are just great girls."