Sudden Success
CHERRY TWP — The break-up of a building resulted in a breakthrough season.
Now it's full-steam ahead for the Moniteau competitive cheering team.
Only in its third season of existence, the Warriors won the Keystone-Shortway Athletic Conference, District 9 small division title, reached the PIAA Finals and took 18th at the UCA National Championships in Orlando, Fla., this past season.
“To do all of that in only our third year was truly amazing,” Moniteau coach Jacqie Tedeski said.
Before this year, the program didn't even have a place to practice within its own school district.
“We practiced at a facility in Slippery Rock,” said Melissa DeMatteis, a Moniteau cheer coach. “The school couldn't bring the girls to practice, so they had to get there on their own.
“It wasn't an ideal situation for us.”
So DeMatteis decided to remedy that problem herself.
She owns an overhead crane company in Boyers and opted to divide the building in half to open a gym.
“We had the space in that building and we're in the middle of nowhere out here,” DeMatteis said. “We didn't have a whole lot of options for training.
“There's a lot of younger kids coming into the program. It just made sense to provide a gym.”
That was in June of 2019. Now DeMatteis is owner of Full Out TC (Tumbling and Cheering). There are 75 kids taking tumbling classes in the gym, from preschool age through college.
Moniteau's varsity, junior high, youth competition and mini teams all call the gym home. There are 54 girls between the four teams.
And the feeder system is firmly in place.
“We've got nine-panel mats down, the size of floor we compete on,” DeMatteis said. “And it's in the district, so the kids have transportation.
“We've had a youth all-star program in this community for a number of years. Once we approached the school board to take a chance on us (in forming a varsity program), they were great with us.”
Moniteau cheerleading practice can now be held after school.“A bus brings the girls right to the gym from school,” Tedeski said. “It's a lot more convenient for everyone.”Moniteau had a 15-member all-female competitive squad this year. That roster included eight seniors — Cassie Allio, Samantha Broerman, Kendal Campbell, Cassidy Claypoole, Andrea Eiler, Grace Hazlet, Lexi Miller and Amelia Thompson.Sophomores were Victoria DeMatteis, Lexi Lasichak, Shayla Nagy and Kylee Surrea, freshmen Ashlyn Baptiste, Molly Grossman and Carmella Ryan. There were no juniors on the squad.When they competed at the PIAA Championships, they competed against everyone.“Competitive cheer is the only sport the PIAA doesn't break into (enrollment) divisions,” DeMatteis said. “North Allegheny has 110 girls try out for its squad. Elk County Catholic doesn't have 110 in its entire school. They're in the same division. That's not right.”Tedeski acknowledged that it's 15-member squads competing against each other at the state level. Divisions are determined by the number of cheerleaders each team has competing, or whether squads are coed or all-female.“Shaler's in our division since we both have 15-member teams,” Tedeski said. “They got their 15 from 110 girls trying out. We got our 15 from 20 trying out.”A movement is going on to develop a large/small split in PIAA competitive cheer. Classes 1A-3A would compete together while classes 4A-6A would do the same.In the meantime, the season goes on. Competitive cheerleaders only have a one-month offseason. This year's tryouts — going on now — are being done virtually.“We've hit our goals every year and we set them higher every year,” DeMatteis said. “We want to place among the top five at states next year.”Tedeski agreed.“Next year, we want to repeat as KSAC and District 9 champion, finish higher nationally than we did last year ... just keep on climbing.”
