The Eaglecrest hip-hop team and Cherokee Trail jazz teams continued to rule at the Denver Coliseum, as both Aurora area programs earned state championships on the final day of the state spirit competition Dec. 13.
Winning those respective divisions has become commonplace for those programs, as the Raptors won for the the sixth time in the past seven seasons — including five in a row — while the Cougars repeated and claimed their fifth title in seven campaigns.
Co-coached by Mistelle Comeaux-Jimenez and Cayla Warneke, Eaglecrest extended its reign atop the hip-hop category with a finals score of 87.15, which put it in front of Broomfield (86.725) and Fruita Monument (85.25), plus another Aurora-area finalist in Smoky Hill, which scored 83.6 to finish fourth. The Raptors were the top scoring team in the semifinals with an 86.975 and added to that in the finals.
Seniors Abygail Whetstone, Aubrianna Sims, Brooklyn Burke, Camila Camacho-DeJesus, Carys McCombs, Cassandra Roman, David Graham, Isabella Minh Thi Gubrud, Libi Falder, Miley Triebelhorn and Sarah St. John, juniors Elle Mullins, Jadin Owusu Sekyere, Jaidyn Franke, Madelin Gonzales and Mya Richardson, sophomores Ana Zambrano Valbuena and Harley Wettanen plus freshmen Mya Bryant and Carlys Pena Perez made up the roster.
The sixth hip-hop title (2019, 2021, 2022-2025) comes with 11 Class 5A crowns in cheer (1995, 1997-1999, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2015, 2019 and 2021) to give Eaglecrest 17 all-time spirit state titles.
Again coached by Mia Brown, Cherokee Trail outdueled another championship regular in Mountain Vista — which has six titles of its own in the discipline — with a finals score of 94.125 points (to the 93.275 for the Golden Eagles), which bettered the 93.375 it earned in prelims.
The Cougars’ roster included seniors in Addi Kingsley, Aubrey Franklin, Kallie Shenk, Liv Kingzett, Mariah Fuggi, Maya Patterson, Piper Badraun, Poppy Brown and Siena Malarkey, plus juniors Alexia Vigneault, Blaire Bell, Harlow Holder, Imani Howard, Isabel Smothers, Kaena Dantzer, Lauren King and Lily Hamilton, sophomores Gracie Lewis and Saskia Hoedt plus freshman Iman Ekiko.
Cherokee Trail’s all-time spirit championship haul is now eight, with the five jazz titles (2019, 2021 ,2022, 2024, 2025) joining the 5A crowns in cheer (2017 and 2023) and 5A/4A game day cheer (2024).
In this season’s 5A cheer competition, Eaglecrest, Regis Jesuit and Grandview were among the seven finalists from the starting field of 20 teams and finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
Smoky Hill made it through to the finals of the 5A/4A game day competition and took fourth.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
