Kudos to Monroe cheerleaders
Two-four-six-eight. Who do we appreciate?
If it’s not the Monroe Township cheerleaders, then you’re missing something.
Four squads of spirited girls the Junior Pee Wee Large Intermediate, the Junior Pee Wee Large Novice, Junior Midgets Small Advanced and Midgets Small Advanced teams are making their way to Florida this weekend to compete in the Pop Warner Little Scholars National Competition. The competition begins Tuesday.
The teams qualified for nationals by placing either first or second at the Eastern Regional Competition held in Trenton earlier this month.
Cheerleading may not be the first thing that comes to mind when talking about competition. But make no mistake about it, these girls are fierce.
Need an example? Just ask 9-year-old Krystle Danza, who has been cheerleading since kindergarten, about her immediate cheerleading goals.
"I want to win the trophy," she said.
But the girls are also terrific athletes. Flexibility, strength and endurance are all required, as is discipline, dedication and hard work.
An immunity to stage fright doesn’t hurt either, as these girls tumble, twirl and get tossed across the mat in ways that can only remind someone of world-class gymnasts.
So, if you haven’t given cheerleading much thought, maybe its time you did.
Go team!
Fall was good to other Monroe teams especially at Monroe Township High School.
The Falcons football team qualified for the state playoffs for the first time in the school’s 29-year history. It posted an 8-1 record its best ever and gave its fans a lot to cheer about before losing in the state tourney to a powerhouse Hamilton High School team.
The boys soccer team gave the school something to be proud of, winning the Greater Middlesex Conference championship and making its way to the Central Jersey Group III finals. While it lost, it managed to notch 21 wins, despite losing 13 players and half its starting lineup to graduation after the 2005 season.
The girls soccer team qualified for state tourney, posting a 12-7 record and finishing third in the Greater Middlesex Conference White Division.
In addition, the cross-country and girls tennis teams (14-3) also did well and the field hockey team, which started slowly, came on strong towards the end of the season. And the school’s newest sport, girls volleyball, posted a respectable 7-7 junior varsity record (the varsity team begins in 2007) in its first year of competition.
The future bodes well for all of them, and we wish them the best of luck next year, and congratulations on great seasons this year.

