Senior boys get a chance to fly

By: Olivia Morris, Contributing Writer

​The senior boys took the crowd by surprise when they joined the Centralia High School (CHS) cheer team on the basketball court, Feb. 7.

For two weeks, the boys worked alongside the CHS cheerleaders to perfect basic stunts, flips, and routines, pushing their limits and stepping out of their comfort zones. With hours of practice they perfected their moves and built a strong bond with the cheer team. 

This is not the first time this routine has been performed. Head cheer coach Rebekah Kropf said that this special tradition has been happening for about 15 years. “I still do senior night for many reasons. One is that it is special for the cheerleaders to have others involved in a sport they love! The practices with the boys are some of my favorites and definitely the ones I laugh the hardest at. It is just a special time for our girls to share something they love doing in a fun way with others in the school,” Kropf explained. 

The group of boys included seniors: Wyatt Adkison, Coulten Baker, Jacob Beard, Henry Bohlmeyer, Jessie Caballero, Jameson Cooper, Bryson Dubes, Tyler Hawkins, Drew Korb, Josh Russell, Adam Rhoades, Ian Tuggle and Ramsey Webb. The cheerleaders made a post on social media announcing the event and all of the boys listed above signed up to participate. Senior Drew Korb said, “The routine looked like a lot of fun and I thought it would give me some good senior year memories.” Each boy was partnered up with a varsity cheerleader. During the routine, these duo’s performed countless partner tricks together. The senior group also came together to show off their newly-learned stunts and tumbling skills to the audience. 

All of the boys were challenged in different ways during the two-week practice period. “It uses a lot more muscle stability and control than it does straight strength. It is definitely harder than I thought it was,” shared senior Jacob Beard. The boys learned how to support the cheerleaders and each other during stunts. Senior Bryson Dubes even got to fly in the air alongside other cheerleaders during the routine. These boys learned not only how to perform flips and stunts, but the trust and teamwork it takes to perform these moves.