James Wood earns first state cheer berth since 2018 with second-place region finish

WINCHESTER — After not qualifying for regionals in the spring of 2021, the James Wood cheerleading team took seventh at regionals in the fall of 2021, then fifth last year.

On Saturday at their own Shirley Gymnasium, the Colonels' steady progression and their determination to turn a goal into a reality paid off.

The announcement that James Wood placed second at the Region 4D competition on Saturday set off a round of screams and jumps off the hardwood floor, because it meant the Colonels had qualified for the Class 4 state competition for the first time since 2018. It will take place on Nov. 4 at the Virginia Commonwealth University Siegel Center in Richmond.

"I feel like I've known since my freshman year that this is where we're supposed to be," said James Wood senior Carlie Lemons, one of James Wood's four captains. "It's just so exhilarating and exciting. I love this team to death. They're all such good girls. They're wonderful people."

Only Region 4D champion Salem and James Wood will make the trip to the Siegel Center. The Colonels finished with 227.5 points in Saturday's second round, just 2.25 points behind the Spartans. Liberty was third with 220.5 points and Millbrook was fourth (200.75).

Eight teams competed in Saturday's event, with four eliminated after the first round. The opening performances saw the Colonels top runner-up Liberty with a clean routine that earned them a score of 234 (James Wood had a seven-point deduction in the finals, while Salem did not have any points deducted). The Pioneers earned the last spot in the finals with 201.25 points, 5.25 more than fifth-place Sherando (196). Handley was seventh with 130 points, 34.25 ahead of Charlottesville.

Wendy DeMaio — who became the team's head coach in 2018 — said the Colonels demonstrated a lot of focus to make Saturday's moment happen. Due to the ongoing construction taking place at James Wood, the Colonels didn't have a normal practice routine until the week of regionals.

Shirley Gymnasium was unavailable for everyone until Sept. 7, resulting in the Colonels going to Frederick County Middle School and sharing facilities from 5-9 p.m. with other teams. When they returned, the cheerleaders were essentially sharing space in Shirley Gymnasium. The partition separating the main gym where the volleyball team practices and the auxiliary team where the cheerleading team gathers wasn't ready to be closed until Thursday.

"The girls have overcome so many obstacles," DeMaio said. "We had sicknesses, girls competing with broken toes. [At Frederick County Middle], we were dragging mats back and forth from the cafeteria to the gym. [In Shirley Gymnasium], we'd be stunting, and volleyballs would fly through. [The volleyball team] would be doing something, and then our music would be blaring. [Cheer and volleyball have] worked together well, but it was difficult because you don't have a private practice."

A much easier transition was incorporating a large group of newcomers onto a veteran team. Of the 15 people who took the mat on Saturday for James Wood, six were freshmen and five were seniors. The Colonels also had two juniors and two sophomores.

"They worked their butts off this year to help us out," said Lemons of the freshmen. "We're seniors, and this was our chance to make history for James Wood. We wanted them to be able to come to us and be able to open up to us and tell us how they feel and their opinions, compared to the stereotypical [senior-freshmen relationship], where they don't talk to each other."

DeMaio said the team pairs upperclassmen and underclassmen as "cheer sisters" throughout the season, with each grouped pair giving each other a present and a note at each competition.

Things like that is why senior captain Lauren Burkhamer said there's harmony throughout the entire team.

"It's just one group," she said.

James Wood had a rough performance at its first competition of the season when it had a problem with its music, but the rest of the regular season was solid. DeMaio said the Colonels had one win, four second-places finishes and one third in their other six events.

"What we preached all season was consistency, consistency, consistency, and they did it," DeMaio said. "We're pretty proud of them for that. I have great leadership this year."

The one victory was the Class 4 Northwestern District championship on Oct 4 at Liberty. The host Eagles placed third at the Class 4 state competition last year.

"Liberty has always been one of our top competitors," Burkhamer said. "That was definitely one of our biggest confidence-boosters."

All five Class 4 Northwestern District schools on Saturday previously competed in Region 4C prior to this year, but Region 4D has proven it can compete. Salem is clearly strong, and while Jefferson Forest took sixth at Saturday's competition, the Cavaliers placed fourth in Class 4 last year after having the second highest score in the first round.

The Colonels had faith in their abilities though, and it showed on Saturday. Lemons said the coaching of Wendy DeMaio and DeMaio's daughter and assistant Mikayla put the team in a position to succeed.

"They're wonderful," Lemons said. "They really try and help us be positive about ourselves."

Burkhamer said it helped performing in their own gym in front of familiar faces.

"I knew our families were going to be here, and everyone from the school was going to support us," Burkhamer said. "It was great."

Burkhamer said there were things that the Colonels can work on prior to the state competition, but she felt the team did well and was just happy to advance. DeMaio felt the same way.

"That little deduction [in the final round], put us in second, but I'll take it," DeMaio said. "The stuff that we've been through this season, we'll take it."

Others on the mat for James Wood on Saturday were seniors captains Haven Yost and Jadyn Yost; senior Savannah Salmon; juniors Emily Clupp and Lily Dodson; sophomores Kyiona Brooks and Kaylynn Tavenner; and freshmen Isabella Didiana, Maddie Groot, Raelynn Holmes, Kelsie Martin, DaMya Paige and Amirah Warner. Junior Haley Battista and sophomore Ashlyn Moon were alternates.

Millbrook coach Jaime Beauregard said the Pioneers — who had a two-point deduction in the first round and a five-point deduction in their second — didn't have their best day, but she felt Millbrook has come a long way from the beginning of the year.

'They put a lot of work in this season at practice," she said. "Fourth in the region, I'm happy with. The girls are proud of themselves, and I'm proud of them. The girls all kept a smile on their face. I always tell them to keep a smile on your face no matter what happens, and they did that even though it wasn't their best routine."

Sherando coach Heather Hyatt was also pleased with her team, which competed first on Saturday.

"That was the best they've done all year," Hyatt said. "Watching everybody else, it was very, very competitive this year. There were a lot of really good routines, and everybody was really clean. We were so proud of everything they did. They just left it all out on the mat today.

"[The coaches] just love working with [the cheerleaders]. They come to practice and work hard. You can't ask for anything more."

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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