Wildcats support the Cardinals
Photo by Addison Markus
The LHS Cheer squad showcased their skills in their pregame performance.
Photo by Addison Markus
Licking Cheerleaders who performed before the baseball game included, from left: front, Jada Lay, Hannah Beasley, Samara Karnes, Lena Parrish, Josie Gifford, Emalee Breeden and Nicole Paolella; back, Reece Lozoya, Peyton Taylor, Paige Kilby, Ava Walker, Ashlee Umfleet, December Maxey, Calyn Huff, Jamie Fike, Gwen Campbell and Reese Crossgrove.
Photo submitted
These four cheerleaders attended the pre-game ceremony.
By Shari Harris, Co-Managing Editor
Friday evening was Licking night at the St. Louis Cardinals’ game. The Licking High School Cheerleading squad performed at 5:45 in the stadium, and the Licking 8th-12th grade music department sang on the field during the seventh inning stretch.
Though the Cardinals didn’t win the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, over 300 Licking fans were on hand to support the Cardinals and the Licking Wildcats.
Seventeen members of the LHS Cheer squad performed a dance routine in Ford Plaza before the game. It was the perfect opportunity for the squad to practice the routine they will use in competition at the Missouri Cheer Coaches Association St. Louis Regional Competition in October. Cheer Coaches Briana Link and Rebecca Taylor choreographed the routine.
Licking Band and Choir members Taylor Hicks and Taylor Brignole sold the most tickets from the music department, and earned a trip onto the field before the game to watch the teams warm up. They were accompanied by a parent, Jaime Headrick, and her son, Jasper Rodgers.
Four cheerleaders, December Maxey, Nicole Paolella, Gwen Campbell and Peyton Taylor, won a chance to go to the pre-game ceremony for selling the most tickets from the cheerleading squad.
A total of 50 Licking students comprising the high school and 8th grade choir and band, under the direction of Briana Link, went on the field at Busch Stadium during the seventh inning stretch. They sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and had a photo taken before returning to their seats to finish cheering for their team.
The students worked to earn a chance to perform, with a certain amount of ticket sales required by each group to be able to perform.
“It was a lot harder selling tickets this year,” said Link. “The school baseball game the same evening took some of the kids and their families.”
The lackluster season the Cardinals have had thus far may have also affected ticket sales. Regardless, though the evening may not have been a win for the Cardinals, it was certainly a great experience for all of the students involved from the Licking cheer squad and music department, and seeing their community members supporting them certainly added to the evening.
