By Chris Cox 

Hard working and mature. That is how Andover Central head cheer coach Desirae Moreno describes this year’s squad. 

“When we decided to go to Nationals instead of State this year, I made it very clear the amount of work they were going to have to put in was much larger than anything else they had probably experienced,” Moreno says. “We faced a lot of adversity just to get there but they worked extremely hard. We pushed them physically and mentally. We talked a lot about being in the right head space. I feel like they really soaked up everything we were saying and grew as athletes and individuals.”

That hard work paid off as Andover Cheer finished fourth in their division at NCA Nationals in Dallas, Texas back in January. 

Seeing her cheerleaders grow as individuals is paramount to Moreno and her assistant coaches John Doan and Maddie Wilson. That’s one reason why they don’t choose captains at Andover Central.

“We don’t do that because I think it tends to bring more drama,” she says. “Also, I think, by giving everyone a sense of responsibility, there’s more ownership and buy in.”

While Andover Central doesn’t name captains, the coaching staff still relies on the upperclassmen to show the underclassmen the ropes. 

“We have a big sis/little sis program,” Moreno says. “They get paired up at the beginning of the year and that is the most important time when the younger kids are trying to learn all of the stuff like the cheers and the fight song.”

Moreno says she’s proud of the growth she’s seen from this year’s squad. 

“They have a much stronger belief in themselves,” says Moreno. “I think earlier in the year we would say ‘we’re going to do a stunt’ and they’d look at us like ‘really?’ But I think this year’s group has learned they are capable of far more than they thought.”

Finally, Moreno says she just has an incredible group.

“They’re good people,” she says. “They’re good athletes but they’re also good people.”

The Andover Central Cheer squad includes seniors Makayla Allison, Cheyenne Brannon, Bella Gorges, Nicole McIlvain, Jamie Ownbey, and Kailey Zwiener. Juniors Bella Benage, Delaney Cary, Reagan Housely, Madelyn George, McKensie Moore, Marilyn Ligon, and Tori Foust. Sophomores Rianna Cockrell, London Seglem, and Addy Van Dever. Freshmen Anna Blake, Alli Fisher, Riley Mayhood, and Julia Smith.