Throughout the past two years, the Varsity cheerleading squad has not traveled to the annual State competition. They have been to camp and regionals numerous times, but nothing compares to the State competition. This year, they finally made it to State.

“Finally,” junior Sara Watson said. “The last time North went to State was my freshman year. It’s my first real experience at a State competition.”

This year, State will be held at the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia on Nov. 14. More than 40 squads from around Missouri will be competing.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking,” captain Maggie Kube said. “I hope that we all go out and do the best we can and place.”

Because of the girls’ high placement at their camp competition over summer, practices are slowly increasing. The cheerleaders are now practicing two to three times a week for two hours each.

“We decided as a team that we need to step up our practices,” Varsity head coach T’Neisha Harris said. “The girls all get along this year. It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve had a team that gets along like this. We have been working as a team all year.”

In June, the cheerleading squad visited the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia for a 4-day camp. The squad learned multiple cheers, dances, and bonded as a team. In addition, the squad took home the “Top Two Performance” ranking at their camp competition of six to seven schools.

At the State competition, the squad will perform a longer version of the routine they performed at FHN’s Homecoming pep assembly. The girls have been preparing for well over a month.

“[The squad] is like a second family to me,” Watson said. “We just all want a good performance and place.”