The Cerritos High Junior Varsity Song team competed Saturday, January 14th at Agoura Hills High School for a chance to compete at USA Nationals. 

Both the Varsity and JV teams competed, however, this was one of two chances for the JV team to make Nationals. According to USA regulations, a team must earn a score of 75 or higher in order to compete. This year’s Nationals will be held at the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California. 

The Varsity and JV Song teams drove over an hour to Agoura Hills in the rain. While on the bus, the team made tiktoks and played card games in order to pass the time. 

The Song team taking pictures of their sleeping teammate while driving to Agoura Hills. 

The rain made the drive longer, so the JV team had to rush to get ready once they arrived. Their coach ran their routine as the Varsity team encouraged them from the sidelines. 

A USA administrator led the JV team to the gym afterwards. They had to run to avoid getting their pompoms wet. As they waited for their turn to perform, they were a bundle of nerves and excitement. 

“I was really nervous.” Freshman Lauren Arca said. 

The Varsity team sat at the front of the bleachers, cheering on their teammates. As the music started, the JV team performed their routine, which they had been practicing for months, for the first time in front of a large audience. 

The JV Song team’s final pose at the USA Regional competition in Agoura Hills.

The JV team then sat along the sidelines and cheered for Varsity as they performed. After the entire Song team competed, they continued to watch the performances until the awards ceremony. 

The rain didn’t dampen the team’s spirits. They sat around the gym floor in a circle and danced along to the songs playing as they waited for the administrators of the competition to announce the awards. 

The JV Song team earned first place in their category, earning 80 points in total. This score makes them eligible to compete at the USA Nationals in February. 

The JV Song team posing for a picture with their first place plaque.