The Chesterton High School Coed Cheer team made history when they qualified for the National Championship Finals. They secured 5th place in the nation at the 2025 National High School Cheerleading Championship, which took place in Orlando, Florida at the Disney ESPN Sports Complex. The CHS Coed Cheer team competed in the Varsity Large Coed Game Day DI Division, and competed against some of the most competitive, skilled teams. Some of these teams include Caney Creek (TX) , Pearland (TX) , Broken Arrow (OK), West Lake (TX), and Mcdowell (PA). This event focused on the teams’ ability to have high-energy cheers, tumbling, and stunting. The CHS Coed Cheer Team made an amazing achievement for Chesterton High School when they received zero deductions for their routine and performed exceptionally well. The team worked extremely hard and prepared for many weeks for this competition.
“My most memorable moment when I was preparing with my team for nationals was sitting on the warm-up mats before finals…making the most out of it and having a dance party…I make sure to keep my eye on the prize and everything happens for a reason,” senior Ava Casselman stated.
The team placed 6th in the semifinals, which allowed them to move on to finals, which took place on February 8th. The Chesterton High School Coed Cheerleading team consists of many talented, and skilled athletes. This team includes seniors Aubrey Schilla, Ava Casselman, Bayli Stills, Gaby Dunlap, Jori Hawkins, Jori Higdon, Lauren Koonce, and Nicole Marciniak, juniors Bobby Spencer, Gionna Pinkston, Levi Swart, Mady Novak, Vincent Casselman and Nico Monaco, sophomores Brendan Brady, Cole Gilbert, Emma Gilbert, Kylian Hill, Ethan Wood, Grace Miller, Maddie Lyons, and Olivia Papp, freshmen Canon Surane, Adriana Gorbea, Carly Decker, and Kate Cichocki. As well as freshman manager Ashlyn Dolph, and coaches Tara Graf and Calla Dolph.
“It is such a weird feeling, I am very happy about it, and excited for the years to come…you have to look at the people around you and realize it isn’t just about me but about the other people around you as well,” sophomore Ethan Wood stated.
This is an impressive and remarkable achievement for the Chesterton High School Coed Cheer team, and they are very excited to be apart of this team together,
“This is a surreal achievement, I honestly still can’t believe we did it and that we came that far. When I got off the stage after the semifinals I was sobbing and I hugged all my teammates…I was in shock. I always kept it in my mind that this is for the feeling of getting off the mat and you never want to get off the mat thinking you could have done more,” junior Gionna Pinkston stated.
Chesterton High School congratulates their cheerleaders and wishes them luck for the future!
