CHITTENANGO – On Saturday February 7, 2015, Allie LoPresti, a senior at Sherburne-Earlville, traveled to Chittenango to compete for the honor of Senior All Star at the Section III Cheerleading Championships.

Allie had to perform individual cheerleading skills including jumps and cheers in front of a panel of judges. She was evaluated against other Class B Section III Senior athletes and had to beat out a large field to be selected as Section III Class B Senior All Star.

Allie is the daughter or Lois and John LoPresti.

This is the first season where New York joined 23 other states who recognize cheerleading as a sport.

Cheerleading will now be subjected to the same student eligibility standards as other athletes, plus its coaches will be required to undergo certification and safety testing as required of other athletic coaches.

The cheerleading squads perform a two-and-a half-minute routine in competition that features everything from dancing, cheers and gymnastics to pyramids in which students are hoisted and thrown in the air in what are called stunts. Judges score the squads on the different aspects of their routines.