On Nov. 9, sophomore Emily Moya represented LOHS in the OCCA (Oregon Cheerleading Coaches Association) All State Competition at Thurston High School. Before the competition, all athletes had to prepare a pre-established routine and perform in front of a panel of judges.

“At the beginning of the routine, I tumbled on and I did a round off hand leg, which is basically just a roundoff back handspring into a flip. And then I did two back handsprings to a layout and then I tucked because I messed up. And you were supposed to do jumps but I messed up and I forgot to do my jumps. And then we did a cheer and dance” she said.

Moya entered in the 6A female individual division and was one of 15 top finalists to qualify for the state team. The state team then participates in upcoming competitions against other teams across the nation.

“We have practice everyday and we do full-outs,” she explained. “We work really hard to do the best we can.”

Moya has been on the school’s cheer team for the past two years, but has been doing cheer for five years in total.

“My team motivates me, my family motivates me, my coaches. They just give me motivation to do better and I really want to do cheer in college so that motivates me to do better too. I kind of want to go to University of Oregon because they have a really good cheer program,” she concluded.