MOSES LAKE — The Frontier Middle School Spartans and Columbia Middle School Red Hawks competed in the Battle at the Lake cheer competition Saturday, where both teams earned first-place finishes in the middle school categories.  

“Shout out to the high school; they held an amazing event,” said Spartans head coach Kelsy Kelley. “Really proud to be a Moses Lake High School Alum, truly enjoyed working with (Red Hawks head coach) Lily White, (Columbia’s) team did amazing and of course I couldn’t be prouder of my team.” 

Kelley said it was a day-long competition where the girls were up and getting ready before the sun was out. The team got prepared and had breakfast at Vanguard Academy before making their way to the competition at 11 a.m. 

The Battle at the Lake had over 48 performances between the several different teams that were in attendance. This was an exciting day for the team and was concluded with Frontier finishing first in the non-tumbling division. 

“It went really well,” said Spartan's eighth grader Clara Skaug. “I’m just really proud of the team and everyone for working very hard and doing their best.” 

Skaug said the key to Frontier’s success this season, leading up to the competition, was the team’s ability to work together and push each other to try their best. 

Columbia finished first in the tumbling division, which was an impressive display as they were led by the Red Hawks Head Coach Lily White, who was in her first season as the head coach this year.  

“This is the first routine I got to build out with my first team,” said White. “Our goal was zero reductions, and the girls were able to achieve that. They were so excited. I think they really got a feel for what competition is like and they loved it.” 

Preparations for Saturday’s competition was mainly focused around ensuring that the girls were ready to do their best and have fun while doing it, she said.  

“Since August, we’ve been in and out of the gym two to three times a week for two hours at a time, so they put in the work,” the Red Hawks coach said. “I wanted them to go out there to have fun, show off their team to their parents, their friends, their family and just have the time of their lives.” 

Earning a first-place victory in this competition was also important to White, as she said it was a unique experience being on the other side of the mat this season.  

“It’s a different experience, but it truly gave me a whole other perspective,” she said. “Cheerleading has been a part of my life since I could walk, and it gave me just a newfound love and appreciation and excitement just about cheerleading in general.” 

White said this victory has the team feeling hungry and ready to get back to work and prepare for the next season. 

With the conclusion of the competition season, both the Spartans and Red Hawks will finish the cheer season supporting the final games of the basketball season at the middle schools. 

“We’re just kind of rounding it out,” said Kelley. “We’ll have about a month and a half off and then we kind of start back up with tryouts and go from there. 

She said there were two feelings that have been felt around Frontier’s team following Saturday’s competition. The team had an overwhelming sense of pride as they earned first and scored better than in their previous competition but they are also feeling some bitterness as the season concludes, and they have to say goodbye to the 10 eighth graders on the team. 

“That means in four weeks our team will never be together the same like it has in the past,” said Kelley. “I think it was kind of bittersweet that our season was so successful, but also it’s now coming to a conclusion where we all won’t be together the same way anymore.” 

For the eighth graders exiting the team after this season, being part of the cheer team has meant many different things to each of them. Natalee Olivera said it was a great opportunity to bond with different people and made her want to constantly improve. 

“I got to connect a lot more, meet new people that I probably would have never thought I would talk to,” said Olivera. “It’s taught me to not give up on things, even though it’s hard, you just have to keep going.” 

The Spartans’ Makayla Santana said she always enjoyed seeing everyone on the team and was happy with how the competition season concluded. 

White said the Red Hawks had only one eighth grader this season, with a majority of sixth and seventh graders on the team, meaning there will be a good number of returners next season. As the team looks ahead to the next season, they will have greater bonds and more experience to reach new heights.  

“I’m proud of them,” she said. “They went out there, they did their job and it was great.” 

A few of Frontier’s eighth graders and Columbia's one eighth-grade cheerleader are planning on competing with the Moses Lake High School team in their freshman year.  

    Spartans cheerleaders Lucy Bauer, front, Raylie Anderson, left, and Abcde Redford, right, perform in sync at the Battle at the Lake Saturday. Spartans Head Coach Kelsy Kelley said the team had no errors during the competition.
  

    Harley Wiester from Frontier cheers while getting ready to hold up her sign during one of the team performances Saturday at Moses Lake High School.
  

    Xailia Gomez from the Spartans waves to the crowd during Saturday’s competition at Moses Lake High School for the Battle at the Lake.