Cheerleaders

Deirdre Newman COSTA MESA -- When the Estancia High Eagles blazed onto the field to kick off the football season Thursday night, a full cheerleading squad enthusiastically rooted them on. But it wasn't until Thursday afternoon that three-fourths of the varsity squad found out they would be cheering on their football team. Six of the eight girls had originally been told they would be sidelined during all or part of the game because they had missed some practices in August.

COSTA MESA - Orange Coast College's co-ed cheer and dance squads will conduct auditions for the 2000-2001 season May 5-6 on the OCC campus. Auditions for the dance team will be held on May 5 in OCC's Robert B. Moore Theatre from 5-10 p.m., while the cheer tryouts will be conducted on May 6 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Basil H. Peterson Gymnasium, just off of Fairview Road. Both the dance and cheer squads won national titles in January at the Universal Cheerleaders Association National Championships, held at Walt Disney World/MGM Resorts in Orlando, Florida.

Deirdre Newman With clenched teeth, Costa Mesa High School cheerleader McCall Marshall dug her feet into the palms of two other cheerleaders and let herself be hoisted up to strike a "liberty" pose. Then she let herself fall into the arms of her two teammates as they caught her in a cradle position. And this was only the first day of summer cheerleading camp. McCall's trust in her fellow cheerleaders is a testament to the teamwork that Coach Jennifer Roark says is a hallmark of the squad.

Deirdre Newman NEWPORT BEACH -- Prospective cheerleaders at Newport Harbor High School, who have endured an emotional roller coaster over the past month, will find out today whether they can order their sweaters and pompoms for the upcoming cheer season. The Newport Harbor cheerleading community has been torn apart by mixed signals from Principal Michael Vossen as to how many girls will be allowed to participate. After listening to the girls Monday, Vossen said he will announce this afternoon how many girls will earn coveted spots on the school's two squads.

The Costa Mesa High School Cheer squads just returned back from their summer camp at UCSB. Both squads learned new materials, challenged themselves on harder stunting and bonded as a new team. The girls out did themselves and dominated the competition in the evaluations and competitions. The varsity team consisting of Captains: Brianna Endo, Lauren Borboa and Ally Krikorian, Chelsea Liebel, Sara Tith, Teagan La Bare, Bree La Bare, Bree Arellano, Jenny Huebner, Cierra Fullmer, Kelsey Finch, Katie Weber, Krystal Fisk, Charlene Hack, Elainne Huaong, Patricia Cruz and Yazzy Tyler Won CAMP CHAMPS, all superior ribbons on their evaluations, LArge Superior Trophy, spirit sticks every night, top banana and the special spirit stick called the Smooth Moves Stick that only 5 schools were awarded throughout the entire nation this summer at UCA camps.

The Costa Mesa High cheerleaders won the Southern California Regional title in their division at the Universal Cheerleaders Assn. competition that took place this past weekend. The Costa Mesa girls earned first place in the large varsity non-tumbling division, bringing home the trophy and championship banner. They also received a bid to the National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fla. The team also won in the Time Out dance division. This season, Costa Mesa has won three division titles (Sharp, Golden State Spirit Assn.

IRVINE - A green tent and a table lined with dozens of cupcakes was set up alongside the skinny sapling planted in memory of 14-year-old cheerleader Ashton Sweet, who died after a car crash on Memorial Day weekend. Friday would have been Sweet's 15th birthday, and friends and family gathered at Irvine Boulevard and Culver Drive to honor the memory of the Northwood High School freshman who prosecutors assert was killed by a suspected drunk driver. "We feel so connected to this spot.

A memorial at the site of where a drunk driver allegedly killed a 14-year-old Irvine cheerleader may be moved at the request of some residents, the victim's family said. Ashton Sweet was killed May 29 in a car crash at Culver Drive and Irvine Boulevard when a driver hit the Mercedes-Benz that she and three other friends were riding in after they left a birthday party. Soon after the crash, the corner's utility box and traffic signal were covered with farewell messages, while flowers and candles covered the sidewalk.

BISHOP -- At least three people have been killed in a a fiery multi-vehicle crash near Bishop, including a cheerleading coach from California Baptist University according to California Highway Patrol officials. The crash, on U.S. Highway 395, was reported just before 8:30 p.m. Monday. Three vans carrying members of California Baptist University's cross country team were traveling northbound when a southbound Ford SUV drifted off the shoulder, swerved into the center median and then struck the second of the three vans, CHP Officer Dennis Cleland said.

Costa Mesa High senior Alyssa Dasca admitted being nervous just before trying out to be a cheerleader for UC San Diego this past weekend. The three-day tryout didn't seem so intimidating to Dasca, the Mustangs' cheer captain. The stress really came from not knowing the San Diego area too well. But once she found the spot, she was fine. "It was different than something I was used to," Dasca said. "But I just did my best. " Dasca made the team to be a Tritons cheerleader. She went to UC San Diego Sunday to be fitted for her cheerleading gear.