HIGH LIFE : Defending Mater Dei Cheerleading Champs Finish Second in Competition

Mater Dei High School’s co-ed cheerleading squad, the defending champion for the second year in a row, finished second in the 10th annual National High School Cheerleading Championships held in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 25 and 26.

The Monarchs, making their eighth visit to the finals, were defeated by Christian Brothers High School of Memphis, Tenn.--the last school other than Mater Dei to win the national championship (1985).

Also representing California but failing to get past last weekend’s preliminary round were the all-girls team from Cypress High School and the co-ed teams from Los Alamitos, Marina and Foothill high schools.

The Foothill cheerleaders, who were overlooked in High Life’s Feb. 17 story on the squads, qualified by placing fifth at the Southern California regionals competition Dec. 11 at Cypress College.

Members of the Foothill squad, advised by Angela Satterlee and coached by Eric Anderson, are Cathy Bain, Katie Birney, David Bogard, Jason Gabelsberg, Jenny Higby, Rob Kelley, Eric Kottke, Diana MacDonald, Robin Mayemura, Pete Mullen, Jennifer Samuelson, Traci Schneider, Jeff Shu, Mark Soderwall and Laura Yoder.