Upton, Mendon, Hopedale girls place 4th in nation

By Theresa Knapp

On Dec. 23, the Upton Select Board recognized the Nipmuc D10 Level 2 Cheer Team as 2025 State Champions, 2nd in the region, and 4th in the country.

The team is made up of girls from Upton, Mendon, and Hopedale, ages 8, 9, and 10, who practiced three times a week, every week, since July.

Upton Select Board Chair Laura Hebb told the team they were “amazing” and “the definition of success” and laid out their accomplishments leading up to the December competition in Florida “where everyone was cheering for you back home, you didn’t realize it.”

“You stepped onto the largest cheer stage in the United States, basically the ‘Olympics’ of cheer, in a sport that separates winners not by full points but by fractions of points…You had visualized this moment and you achieved success. Not once but twice, you ‘hit zero’ – a perfect routine, absolutely no deductions. You owned that stage and those moments coming in fourth in the nation. So, congratulations.”

At nationals, the team tied for third place which resulted in a tiebreaker that included their score from the competition the night before resulting in them missing third place by four-tenths of a point.

Hebb also read a Proclamation of Recognition, telling the group they embody “the spirit of a true dream team,” and “we declare you champions in every way that matters,” which was followed by a standing ovation.

 The journey

On Dec. 5, the Nipmuc D10 Cheer Team took that national stage in Kissimmee, Florida, and delivered the best routine of their entire season, says Heather Zawatski, president and co-cheer director of Nipmuc Youth Cheerleading. “They didn’t just perform, they “hit zero,” meaning they performed a perfect routine with no deductions. They were awarded the Top Five that night and moved on to compete for the national title the next night.

On Dec. 6, they hit zero again and tied for third place, reported Zawatski. A tie breaker had to be done so they took the overall score from Friday night, we were awarded fourth place missing third by four-tenths of a point.

“To say we are proud is an understatement,” said Zawatski. “These girls gave everything they had, supported one another every step of the way, and represented their communities with strength, grace, and heart.”

The coaching staff includes Zawatski and Jessica Palumbo as co-head coaches and directors, and assistant coaches Jill Adams, Paula Drake, and Julia Lovely

To watch the Dec. 5 performance, visit www.facebook.com/reel/1130647475550970

The Upton Select Board meeting can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2TydpGx0c.

At its meeting on Dec. 23, the Upton Select Board issued a Proclamation of Recognition for the Nipmuc D10 Level 2 Cheer Team for its recent accomplishments. Courtesy photo