Photo submitted to Times Observer Warren’s cheerleaders will be competing in the (Large Varsity) District 10 Chamnpionships this Saturday at McDowell High School. Five teams will advance to states in Hershey. Cheerleaders, from left, in front, include Laura Simanowski, Savannah Keener, Hanna Taylor, Rachael Shattuck, Emily See, and Alicia Garrett; middle, Caroline Massa, Madisyn Ecklund, Jaylyn Mohney, and Kennedy Ford; and, back row, Addison Downer, Jayden Slack, Delaney Alcorn, Erin Yunik, Makenzie Black, Lexi Johnson, Alexis Galloway, and Cassandra Guiffre. Missing from photo is Ryan Fisher.

Now’s the time to cheer on the cheerleaders.

The Warren Area High School cheerleaders will compete beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Medium Varsity division of the District 10 cheerleading championships at McDowell High School.

“Since I’ve been coach (four years), Warren has been going to districts, but WHS Cheer has been going long before I started coaching,” said Warren coach Melissa Jacobson. “In the past, Warren has qualified for states twice.”

Jacobson is head coach and Wendy Carrington the assistant coach; she helps with varsity and coaches the junior varsity.

“This year, we are up against Villa Maria and Hickory, both of which are great teams,” said Jacobson. “This past weekend, we competed in a competition held by Moniteau High School. Villa Maria Academy attended this competition, too. Villa placed third, (and) Warren placed fourth. At Moniteau, Warren scored 25 points more than they have scored since I’ve been coach. This year’s team has displayed great dedication and determination. It’s been a great start to the competition season.

“To advance to states you have to win your division at districts (small, medium, large, and co-ed division),” she said. “There is also one wild card every year. Five teams are taken every year.”

Warren advanced to states last year, and that’s the goal again.

Though sophomore Caroline Massa put it a different way.

“(Our goal is) for all stunts to hit and to win our division,” she said.

The seniors are Alicia Garrett, Hanna Taylor, Rachael Shattuck, Savannah Keener, Laura Simanowski, and Emily See.

“I would definitely say that our team is very close,” said See. “Aside from the practices, games, and competitions, we go to out to dinner together, we have a movie night together as a squad sometimes, we buy Christmas gifts so it’s not all about the cheer. We definitely have some strong relationships within the squad. Especially after two of our cheerleaders had an immediate family member passing away at the beginning of the season. It was very hard on us as a squad, but we really had to support and be there for those two girls, which made us close right from the start.”

She said this group of cheerleaders, of course, “support, encourage, make the mood happy when it gets down.” Even better, the girls are trying to show that they can be a “figure for others to look up to, and go to for support and encouragement.

“So far, I’d say that our best moments would be the car rides to football games, bus ride to districts, team dinners, and practices that are filled with nonstop laughter.”

Maybe there’s another special moment in store on Saturday.

“Yes, the goal is to win the medium division,” said Jacobson. “As long as they perform like I know they can, they will be in the running! They have the talent!”