The road to winning a championship for Langham Creek Cheer wasn’t easy. To get ready, the team had to work through a tough schedule that included practice every day after school for about an hour and a half. They even had full school days where they spent the entire time practicing at the gym to make sure everything was perfect.

Working this hard from Monday to Friday started to take a toll on the whole team. The practices were very intense and really hard on their bodies.

“There were many points where we were all physically and mentally tired and ready to give up,” Captain Annabella Hagerty said. “But we always uplifted each other to get through it.”

The team stayed focused on the goal even after the struggles they faced.

The long hours in the gym actually helped the girls become closer as a team. This was especially true for the smaller stunt groups, who had to work closely together on the mat.

“I grew a stronger relationship with the girls in my stunt group,” Co-Captain Molly Willmon said. “We would constantly talk to each other and would hold each other accountable to not give up, even when we were exhausted.”

On January 11th in San Marcos, Texas, the day of the competition, the team showed up in their uniforms. Even though they had practiced for months, the nerves were still there right before the music started.

“Before going on stage, we were all really nervous but excited,” Co-Caption Shelby Ferrata said. “After we got on the mat, the adrenaline hit.”

The team ended up “hitting zero”, which means they had a perfect routine with no mistakes. It was a huge moment for the school because most people don’t even remember the last time Langham Creek won a cheer championship.

“I was so proud of us after we hit zero at comp,” Willmon said. “We all felt that all the work we put in paid off.”

After a season of being exhausted, the team finally got to celebrate being champions.

They earned Best in Stunts, 1st Place in their Division, and were crowned Grand Champions in School Performance at the Cheer America Texas State Championship 2026 cheerleading competition.