CASPER — The Powell High School cheerleading team placed third out of seven teams in the all girl cheer category, which includes stunts, at the Class 3A State Cheerleading competition March 11 at the Casper Events Center.

Head coach Vicki Walsh's 15 athletes fell short of the Lady Panthers’ sixth state title under Walsh, but PHS did bring home the 14th trophy of its coach’s 16-year stint in Powell by finishing third. PHS notched 50.167 points, falling just shy of runners-up Star Valley (55.333) and champion Douglas (60.167). The Lady Panthers were unable to maintain their momentum in the cheer non-stunt category, finishing 15th out of 16 schools with just 51.667 points. Douglas claimed that crown with 78.333 points.

The all girl cheer category included stunts, which comprise of tumbling, jumps, dancing and, of course, stunts, such as throws and acrobatics. The Lady Panthers danced under a fire theme this year, competing to the tune of music from the likes of legendary country singer Johnny Cash and pop music star Katy Perry.

Walsh said her girls worked hard to prepare for their biggest event of the year, and didn’t collapse under the pressure of only getting to perform one routine for the judges.

“So you basically get one shot — you compete, and then you’re done,” Walsh said. “We had some things that didn’t go our way that night, and when you only get one chance to go out there and try it, it can be really frustrating.

“It’s a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and the girls put in a lot of practice time to get to that stage,” she said. “I’m really happy with how we ended at state.”

Unlike football, basketball, volleyball and other sports, cheerleading is not granted the designation as a sport by the Wyoming High School Activities Association. It’s a fact that disappoints Walsh, whose girls start in August and have no offseason until mid-March.

“We don’t really get a lot of breaks,” said Walsh, reiterating that the long season requires hard work and dedication from each of her athletes.

“It takes a whole team to do all the things that we do,” she said. “It’s not one individual person, it takes everybody to do the things we do.”

Walsh’s team featured six seniors this year. One of those seniors, Nicole Birdsley, finished her second season as a cheerleader at the state competition, and flies for the Lady Panthers. What that means is Birdsley is on the receiving end of stunts, often flying through the air before being caught by a host of cheerleaders upon landing.

Birdsley said the routines people see at PHS football and basketball games has created a misconception about cheerleading.

“I don’t think people really realize what we do. It’s not all about cheering on the sidelines,” Birdsley said. “It’s stunts. That’s the most fun and toughest part about cheerleading.

“You just feel accomplished whenever a stunt hits and people are cheering,” she said. “It feels really good.”

Walsh’s team performs stunts, like the one Birdsley performs, without the benefit of mandatory weight training programs. Her girls learn to perform their routines through practice and repetition, the coach said, and it creates a sense of pride for her athletes.

“It takes so much time and dedication. I think a lot of people don’t understand how hard it is on a person to be a cheerleader,” Wash said. “Girls come in and say ‘Oh my gosh, this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.’ Stunting isn’t something that comes naturally to anybody.”

Given the length of her team’s season, Walsh said her girls put in about as much work as PHS’ sports teams, and believes that ranks her girls among other Powell athletes.

“I consider my girls to be athletes. It takes a lot of strength, a lot of dedication and a lot of hard work,” the coach added. “When you look at pictures of our girls in the air and you think ‘How do they get their bodies that high like that?’ It’s always about constantly improving — you just have to work, work, work.”

The 2014-15 PHS cheer team was made up of Birdsley, Kendra Newman, Carli Brown, Jocelyn Howard, Deasia Daughterty, Madison Riedinger, Shania Pratt, Jourdyn Haire, Devin Rausch, Brennah Lane, Tiffany Bergman, Megan Rosdahl, Annie Price, Mary Lynn and Ashtin Decker.