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Back-to-Back Blue for Raton Cheer

By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media

 

Raton Cheer Coach Linda Ortiz celebrates 30 years of coaching cheer for Raton High School with another state championship Friday as the Raton Cheer Team handily won the Class 3A title over rival West Las Vegas by just over seven points.

This year’s competition was a bit different format as all of cheer performed on Friday with dance getting all of their performances done on Saturday. The format was developed to help reduce the numbers of teams and spectators in the Pit to meet group numbers restriction for the state health order.

Raton Cheer returned to the University of New Mexico Friday May 14, 2021 after a one-year hiatus from state competition because of Covid. They returned to the Pit with the 2019 Class 3A state title after winning it in 2019. Coach Ortiz said it was a tough year for cheer as the school year began with high school sports wondering if they would even get to play this school year.

In January it all began with a fall sports schedule crammed into one month with volleyball and football followed by a jam-packed month of basketball before the state spirit competition. Ortiz noted they began their cheer season with lots of games to cheer for while still having to meet the restriction of the state covid health orders. Raton cheer also felt the wrath of the pandemic with a 10-day quarantine period only a few short weeks before the state competition.

The girls knew what they had to do and had a state preview performance set for Thursday before the trip to Albuquerque on Friday. That performance was cancelled as the girls and the Coach Ortiz felt like they needed additional practice. The extra work paid off as the girls took the court in the Pit at UNM Friday afternoon and nailed an almost flawless game day performance.

An hour and 15 minutes later they rallied on the court again for Cheer with Music. After the performance the girls knew they had another great performance as their excitement and jubilation showed with hugs all around and cheers by the team and fans alike filled the Pit.

It would be a few minutes after the cheer competition completed before the ladies would know that they once again would bring a blue trophy back to Raton. Due to the covid restrictions still in place on Friday trophy presentations were not held. A NMAA representative will travel to Raton later this week to present the trophy and banner to the team.

2021_Spirit_Results_Cheer

# Name Pos. Gr. Ht. Wt.
Mary Catherine Ware 8th
Tierra Garrett 8th
KayLee Maes Sr.
Alexia Marquez Sr.
Faith Allison Jr.
JayLynn Trueba So.
Krystle Montoya So.
Sarah Ware Sr.
Calyssa Hanson So.
RaeJean Barry 8th
Joslin Mascarenas Sr.
Travis Garcia So.
Deja Garcia So.
Tyleigh Valdez So.
Moses Bueno 8th

Head Cheer Coach Linda Ortiz and assistant Coach Christina Valdez walk to their seat as the ladies get ready for a game day sheer performance at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021

Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Raton Cheer at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Coach Linda Ortiz receives a hug from one of her cheer leaders at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Hugs and cheers all around as the ladies knew they had another great performance at the 2021 State Spirit Competition Friday May 14, 2021
Welcome home ladies as the Raton Cheer team assembles in tiger Gym for a warm welcome home after hearing that Raton once again brought home the Blue Trophy from the 2021 State Spirit competition held in the Pit on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque Friday afternoon.
One last cheer as the girls are welcomed home after winning the Class 3A title once again Friday May 14, 2021
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