Tigers refuse to back down

There are seven divisions at this year's Florida High School Athletic Association State Competitive Cheerleading Championships.

There should have been an eighth - Ultra-Small Division.

That division would have given Middleton a chance. The Tigers became the darlings of the Silver Spurs Arena crowd Saturday as their "Fab 5" wowed the crowd in their Small Varsity performance, despite their small numbers.

Rechia Jackson, Ry' Keasia Milledge, Shamika Jones, Ambre Atwaters and Shandrea Jacobs were forced to learn a new routine Saturday morning when a sixth member of the squad, Kennisha Keaton, became ill.

Coaches Cathy Waters and Phyllis Brewer had already had to change the routine once when three girls had to miss the competition because of SAT testing Saturday and another had another commitment. When Keaton became ill, it was yet another new routine.

"We traveled here this morning with six, but we had one that wasn't feeling well and couldn't perform," Waters said. "In about 20 minutes we had revamped the whole routine and put something together. I told them that we weren't going back home without going on that stage."

Although they were swallowed up by the huge stage, the Fab 5 went through their routine like nothing was different. The Tigers finished 19th in a field of 22. But the result really didn't matter.

"I told them we were going to go out with the Fab 5 and go out and do what we could do," Waters said. "I really appreciate the crowd giving them the support. ... I love them and I appreciate them having the guts."

Indian Rocks was the only area school to make the finals - placing second in the Small Varsity division after finishing fourth in the semifinals. Hudson finished ninth, followed by Sunlake (10th), Brandon (15th) and Armwood (17th).

In the Non-Tumbling division, Plant City was the highest local finisher in 23rd place out of 57 teams, followed by Spoto (33rd), Lennard (35th) and Leto (55th).