ISELIN—Here’s where it counts. The months of drills, practices, and hard work come to a head on Nov. 21 and 22 when the St. Cecelia’s Golden Knights cheerleading squads compete in the Pop Warner Regional competition at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton.
What’s at stake? A chance at the big prize…the cheerleading gold, if you will. A chance to compete in the national competition at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
If they win at the regionals in Trenton this weekend, it will be the seventh straight time the Knights will fly south to Orlando to try for their berth atop the cheerleading world.
The Knights know they can do it – they’ve done it before. But you will not find them resting on laurels.
“We feel confident, but we know how much work is ahead of us,” said Margaret Truppa, St. Cecelia’s cheerleading coordinator. “We will leave nothing to chance. We’ll be polishing our routines right up until the end.”
Success is nothing new to the ladies of St. Cecelia’s. The Knights took the national title in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008. They want it again this year. But first, they need to win in Trenton. This weekend, the Knights will compete with the top squads from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
“The girls know what’s at stake,” says Truppa. “They’re dedicated, working hard and know what they have to do.”
