The 29-member St. John the Baptist cheerleading...

The 29-member St. John the Baptist cheerleading team of fifth-

through eighth-grade girls has officially won every competition it

has entered for the past three years.

This year they entered 10 competitions, including: Cheerleaders of

America (COA) West Coast National Championships, ASICS California

State Championships, USA Junior National Championships and Battle of

the Bay National Championships.

They compete in the Junior High and Middle School Advanced

bracket. Their complicated routines include gymnastics stunts,

acrobatics and dance.

Eddie Strachan, 22, has been coaching the team for seven years.

Strachen graduated from St. John the Baptist Catholic School in 1996

and Mater Dei High School in 2000. In addition to coaching St. John’s

team, he is a teacher and choreographer for Dance Precisions and Kyne

Dance Academy and he is the head cheer coach at Sunny Hills High

School.

To prepare for the competitions, which include elements of dance

and gymnastics, the girls practice all summer. During the school

year, their routine includes three weekday practices and one

gymnastics workout.

The team members are: Captains Erica Lopez and Crystal Vu, Kelcie

Asuncion, Azia Celestino, Ally Krikorian, Jordan Moy, Briana

Sandoval, Chelsea Liebel, Sarah Bennani, Abbie Boslett, Celina

Engler, Khrystal Espinosa, Krystal Fisk, Meagan Freeland, Tiara

Marocco, Becky Morton, Steffi Nguyen, Cassie Pineda, Rebecca Sanchez,

Michelle Strachan, Kaitlin Yamamoto, Alexandria Bolden, Christina

Carlson, Amber Celestino, Asia Desamito, Marina Hanna, Rachel List,

Cara Whitaker and Alysia Brunst.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS ROCKS NEWPORT HARBOR HIGH

Twelve bands were judged at Newport Harbor High’s “Battle of the

Bands” March 12. Concorde took first place after playing their

original song “Lightning Strike.” The band consists of Justin Drucker

of Laguna Beach, guitar and vocals; Max McDonald of Laguna Beach,

drums; Andrew Wilson of Newport Harbor, guitar, vocals and keyboard;

and Stefan Brysha of Costa Mesa, bass

AZUSA PACIFIC STUDENT

NAMED A ‘WHO’S WHO’

Costa Mesa resident Lyndsay Bowen was one of 24 Azusa Pacific

University students named in “Who’s Who in American Universities and

Colleges.”

Bowen, a senior, is a social work major. Candidates for this honor

must maintain a minimum of 3.75 GPA and are noted for their abilities

in scholarship, participation and leadership in academic and

extracurricular activities, citizenship and service to school, and

potential for future achievement.

Azusa Pacific is a Christian, evangelical university and the main

campus is in the San Gabriel Valley.

Newport Coast resident Sapna Gulaya was one of 1,302 students

awarded academic degrees from Boston University in January. Gulaya

received a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and

management.

Boston University is the fourth-largest independent university in

the United States and offers a broad range of programs in arts and

sciences to more than 29,000 students.

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please

direct noteworthy information to Lindsay Sandham by fax at (714)

966-4679, or send e-mail to lindsay.sandham@latimes.com.