The Monticello Cheerleaders competed in Bloomington this past weekend at the US Cellular Colliseum for the Cheerleading state finals. The Sages placed 12th out of 18 teams in the field. Sages Cheerleading Coach Catelyn Ross explains cheer competitions consist of a one and a half minute dance routine and one and a half minutes of cheer, and the girls are then scored based on their routines.

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Senior Cheerleader Anne Louise Brand calls the experience one of the best experiences she's had in high school and is very proud of her teammates for their hard work to get to the state competition.

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Brand says it took a lot of hard work and every chance the team could get to practice they took advantage of it, and it paid off for them this year.

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The Sages had to place in the top 5 of their sectional to advance to the State competition.