This past weekend was the season opener for Northwestern’s competitive cheer time at the Doane Invitational in Crete, NE.
The team finished second out of four teams with an overall score of 73.78 points.
The Raider cheer and dance teams follow a similar schedule with their next competition at the York Crown Classic on Feb. 9 in York, NE.
The next day, Feb. 10, is the Concordia Day of Duals in Steward, NE.
The Northwestern Invite is Feb. 16 at the Bultman Center, and the following day is the Dordt Invite.
The final smaller regular season competition is back in the Bultman Center against Dickinson State. The Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships finish the season on March 8 and 9 in Crete, NE.
In the past few years, both teams have improved in their GPAC finish.
Dance went from finishing ninth in 2021 to eighth in 2022 and 2023, with their total points going up.
Cheer has gone from fifth in 2021 and 2022 to second in 2023, also with an increase in their total point value.
Members of both teams are listed under the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Scholar Athletes.
Senior Nathan Tornow has been listed as an All-conference Athlete, and with four other seniors on the team, great things can be expected from the cheer team for the remainder of the season.
The seven freshmen have excellent role models to look up to and will eventually fill the seniors’ shoes in the next few years.
The two juniors on the dance team are nothing to ignore either, as they have been scholar athletes in the past years.
They will also leave some big shoes to fill when they graduate in a year, which the three sophomores on the team are more than ready to fill with their own knowledge and guidance.
Both teams are looking at a busy schedule next month but are expected to stand out in their competitions as they did at Doane.
