ARCHIVES
Months/Years

Cheerleaders, Pom Squad Place In National Competition
(Press Release 04-10-06)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Both Eastern Oklahoma State College Cheerleading and Pom teams placed within the top 10 teams in national competition in Datona Beach, FL, Friday (4-7-06) with Cheerleaders placing 7th and the Pom and Dance squad in 6th place nationally.

The top five teams advance to final competition “so we missed finals only by a few places,” Cheerleading and Pom/Dance Coach Pat Thomas said.

“That’s not too bad considering we had primarily freshmen on the teams. This is an impressive showing. They worked hard and I am proud of them,” she said.

“Next year they’ll have a much better idea of what will be facing them.”

The Wilburton two-year college has a long successful tradition in competition at the nationals throughout the last 17 years. The competition is an open event where two-year colleges are competing in the same category as major universities like Southern Methodist University, Oklahoma University and others from across the nation.

This year the Pom squad was in preliminary competition against 23 teams from across the nation with the Cheerleaders competing against 27 other teams.

There are more than 4,000 NCAA teams in the United States and Eastern is generally considered to be one of the top 100 programs in the nation. More than 200 teams are selected to the finals in Datona each year.

Eastern’s cheerleaders and pom and dance squads began competing in 1988 with Thomas as coach. The cheerleaders have placed nationally in third place (twice), fourth place (twice), fifth, sixth place (twice), seventh (twice), eighth (twice), and ninth (twice) since that time.

Last year the Eastern Cheerleaders captured 1st place to become the national champions.

Thomas is sometimes referred to as the “Dean” of Eastern coaches. She began teaching at Eastern in August, 1963 and has been coaching cheerleaders since that time. She began coaching the Pom and Dance squad in 1994.

Thomas has been named to the top 10 Cheerleading Coaches in America. Her squad members have transferred to all of Oklahoma’s four-year and comprehensive universities as well as other universities nationally.

Eastern cheerleaders competing this year include: Kyle Alderman, from Wilburton; Momcilo Babic, Serbia; Chystal Basden, Quinton; Elizabeth Cahill; Carrollton, TX; Jennifer Cathey, Savanna; Broderick Crawford, Valliant; Heather Frazier, Del City; Dionika Harvey, Arlington, TX; Cody Henry, Antlers; Lauren Kirksey, Heavener; Vance Landers, Mannford, TX; Hillary Lincoln, Gore; Brittany Lappin, Valliant; Brittney McCain, Keota; Courtney Meers, Conway, AR; Anna Mooney, Wilburton; Tiffany Moore, Haileyville; Blakley Pirtle, Hartshorne; Andrew Self, Stigler; Christina Thomas, Gore; Morgan Thomason, Sallisaw; Benjamin Tims, Antlers; Jessiebelle Toumbs, Wilburton; Sabra Vaughan, Inola; Kamwin Bryant, Antlers; Tanara Geebae, Tulsa.

Pom and Dance team members competing this year include: Elizabeth D. Cahill from Carollton, TX; Kayla D. Campbell, Wilburton; Jandi R. Haskell; Ninnekah; Jana J. Holt, Hartshorne; Devin M. Mooney, Wilburton; Jennifer King, Hartshorne and Lindsey Wilson, Eufaula.

The 2005-2006 Eastern Cheerleading squad pictured from front left include: Brittney McCain, Keota; Courtney Meers, Conway, AR; Heather Frazier, Del City; Kyle Alderman, Wilburton; Shalesa Huggins, Wilburton; Lauren Kirksey, Heavener; Dionika Harvey, Arlington, TX; Vance Landers, Mannsford, TX and Hillary Lincoln, Gore. Second row: Jennifer Cathey, Savanna; Jessica Tombs, Wilburton; Tiffany Moore, Haileyville; Jamilla Billey, Hartshorne; Tamara Geebae, Tulsa; Crystal Basden, Quinton; Morgan Thomason, Sallisaw; Elizabeth Cahill, Carrollton, TX; Christina Thomas, Gore; Sabra Vaughan, Inola; Brittney Hackler, McAlester and Brittney Lappin, Valliant. Back row: Blakley Pirtle, Hartshorne; Broderick Crawford, Quinton; Anna Mooney, Wilburton; Jessie Goodin, Eufaula; Andy Self, Stigler and Momcilo Babic, Serbia.

The 2005-2006 Eastern Pom & Dance squad picted from front left include: Jandi Haskell, Ninnekah; Vance Landers, Mannsford, TX; Kayla Campbell, Wilburton; Jana Holt, Hartshorne; Lindsey Wilson, Eufaula. Back row: Jessica Toumbs, Wilburton; Christa McKee, Quinton; Niesa Lopez, Wilburton; Kassi Dillard, McAlester; Tiffany Craig, Wister; Lizzie Cahill, Carrollton, TX and Devin Mooney, Wilburton.