The 3rd Annual SHOWDOWN AT THE LAKE Cheerleading Competition was hosted at Lake Belton High School on Saturday, November 16, 2024. Teams from around the area headed to LBHS bright and early to show off their skills.

In the middle school competition, the Broncos from LBMS and NBMS wowed the crowd with their use of signs, flags, and skills used to lead the crowd. They each came out on top, with both schools earning a trophy in their division. LBMS walked away with Top Fight Song, while NBMS took home the trophy for Top Band Chant.

In the high school division, athletes do not compete against the other teams. This is a time where teams can come to gain formal feedback from official judges before they head to larger competitions.

The LBHS competitive NCA team was the first team in the high school division. They took the mat in their sparkly Bronco uniforms and quickly got the attention of the judges and the audience. The cheer section of their routine incorporated jumps, standing tumbling, and five 2-man stunts that are at the top of the difficulty range for their division. The music section was just as impressive, as they began with a strong stunt section, which led into a series of running tumbling. Their pyramid was solid, and they finished with high baskets and a fun dance section. This team scored incredibly high and hit a zero-deduction routine that left the crowd in awe.

The UIL Competition team from LBHS used signs, flags, and poms to get the crowd pumped during the band chant section of their routine. After a defensive call by the judges, the captains, Avelina Betancourt Lauren Stefek, correctly lead their team in a strong defensive chant while adding in stunts and tumbling with their signs and poms. The cheer section of the routine started with six 2-man stunts and even some body flags to lead the crowd to yell for our Broncos. They ended strong with the LBHS fight song, which incorporated all of the crowdleading elements listed above. Their energy and skill incorporation impressed the judging panel as well as the entire audience.

To close out the competition, there was an individual jump-off to see which teams had the most skilled jumpers. In the middle school division, the award went to Lexi Walker from LBMS. In the high school division, the trophy stayed at LBHS with athlete Maya Yberg.

At the conclusion of the competition, the NCA Competitive team left for Rosenberg, where they competed in the NCA Lone Star Classic regional competition on Sunday, November 17th. They brought home 3rd place.