ORLANDO, FL – The Itawamba Community College cheer team finished national runner-up at the national championships this weekend in Orlando, competing in the Open Small Co-Ed Division at the UCA Cheerleading and Dance National Championship at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex.
The Indians entered this year's competition focused on redeeming themselves after failing to qualify for the championship round of competition last season.
The team, under the direction of Coach Bryant Nickels, advanced through the semifinal round with a raw score of 85.3 and an event score of 82.3 to earn third place on Saturday.
The squad saved their best performance of the season for Sunday's championship round.
After being hit with three deduction points on Saturday, the Indians bounced back to only have one deduction point in the championship spotlight. The team finished tied for second with an 86.5 raw score and an 85.5 event score, finishing nine-tenths of a point behind champion Iowa Western Community College.
The Indians finished tied for second with Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Members of this year's squad includes: Addy Stanford and Demetrius Knox of Tupelo, Latravian Ware and Will Angle of South Pontotoc; Maddi Blanchard, Julianna Motes and Jade Smith of Itawamba AHS; Noah Tooley and Mia Tooley of Belmont; Chap Liles of Lafayette; Maddox Jones of Pontotoc; Alicia Greenlee of Neshoba Central; Logan Lee Robertson of New Albany; Claire Lowe of Oxford; Jaida Lucious of Starkville; Addy Brown of Ripley; and Brileigh Glidewell of New Hope.
Coaches are Bryant Nickels and Drew McDonald.
Open Small Co-Ed Results
Semifinals
| Rank | Team | Raw Score | Deductions | Event Score |
| 1 | Iowa Western | 86.9 | 1 | 85.9 |
| 2 | Northwest MS | 87.8 | 2 | 85.8 |
| 3 | Itawamba | 85.3 | 3 | 82.3 |
| 4 | Missouri Valley | 82 | 1 | 81 |
| 5 | Coastal Alabama | 82.1 | 5.25 | 76.85 |
| 6 | Hinds | 78.1 | 6 | 72.1 |
| 7 | MS Gulf Coast | 76.9 | 7 | 69.9 |
| 8 | Wallace State | 75.7 | 8 | 67.7 |
| 9 | Nichols College | 74.2 | 7 | 67.2 |
Finals
| Rank | Team | Raw Score | Deductions | Event Score |
| 1 | Iowa Western | 87.4 | 1 | 86.4 |
| 2 | Itawamba | 86.5 | 1 | 85.5 |
| 2 | Northwest MS | 86.5 | 1 | 85.5 |
| 4 | Missouri Valley | 83.7 | 0 | 83.7 |
| 5 | Coastal Alabama | 81.8 | 1 | 80.8 |
