Kearney High School's Cheer squad had a big moment at the state level this weekend, and it came in a brand-new arena for our program.

Head Coach Erin Schmeltz recently sent a Group Stunt entry to compete in Springfield at the Game Day State competition, marking the first time for KHS to compete in this division at the state level. The group, made up of seniors Kenna Chenoweth, Amara Miles, Lily Hoessel and Natalie Knight, had just one minute to showcase their very best stunting. 

Group Stunt is judged on strength and stability, flow of the routine, degree of difficulty, and overall precision, and the Bulldogs delivered. Out of 18 teams that qualified for Saturday, the KHS group came home with the bronze medal!

Even more impressive: the Bulldogs posted the highest “Degree of Difficulty” score of their session, leaving only four-tenths of a point on the table, according to Coach Schmeltz. In a testament to how tight the competition was, the 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-place teams were separated by less than half a point. 

Our girls put on a great show, represented Kearney with pride, and showed exactly what Bulldogs are made of. Congratulations, ladies, and thank you for setting a new standard on the state stage!