The Coal Ridge Titans co-ed cheer team claimed their seventh consecutive state championship, capturing the Class 4A title last weekend. This marked their first win in the larger classification, moving up after six straight 2A/3A titles. 

The Titans scored 82.6 points, with 37.9 points in the cheer category and 46.7 in the music category.

“It was pretty cool, because we weren’t sure if we could do it,” head coach Alyssa Thurman said. “We petitioned to move up, and we worked really hard. It was a rough season this year, but they pulled it off in the end. So, it was really rewarding.”

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The season brought unique challenges, including a high number of injuries and internal issues within the team. 

“We had a ton of injuries — an insane amount, honestly — and some teammates left the team,” Thurman said. “It seemed like one thing after another, but the team worked really hard in the weeks leading up to state and nailed it in the finals.”

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The Titans started their competitive season on Nov. 2 at Rock Canyon High School. That event proved difficult, as the team was missing key members to the team, according to Thurman. Yet the team found their footing, winning their next two competitions and building confidence ahead of the state tournament.

“Our leadership was so strong this year,” Thurman said. “We had a lot of leaders on this team  that really carried us through the toughest moments.”

The state championship presented its own challenges. The Titans had a couple of mistakes during prelims but delivered a strong routine overall. On the warm-up mat before finals, the team struggled, which left the coaching staff nervous about their performance.

“They were kind of a mess during warm-ups and freaking out a little bit,” Thurman said. “But our leaders got everyone together, gave them a pep talk, and prayed over the team. When it mattered most, they went out there and gave it 100%. They always seem to rise to the occasion.”

Senior captain Callie Epp reflected on how the increased competition in Class 4A pushed the team to work harder. 

“This win was really stressful, but it felt incredible,” Epp said. “We practice five days a week at 5 a.m., and sometimes we have extra practices. It’s hard work, but it paid off. We knew the competition would be stronger, so we paid closer attention to our rivals and kept pushing ourselves.”

The Titans were unsure about their chances as the final results were announced. A surprising shake-up in the standings added to the suspense. 

“The team that was second after prelims didn’t get called,” Thurman said. “The team that was third ended up in second, so we didn’t know if we had it or not. It was nerve-wracking.”

When their name was called, the team erupted in celebration. For Epp, the win was especially meaningful in her senior year. 

“I was picked as a captain this year by my teammates, and that meant so much to me,” she said. “I’ve grown to love this family we’ve created. This experience has taught me so much about dedication, perseverance, and how to handle challenges. It’s changed my outlook on sports, school, and life.”

Next up for the Titans is Nationals in January, which will be held in Texas. Epp and her teammates are already gearing up for the next challenge, confident they can build on their success at state.

“It’s been a long season with a lot of ups and downs,” Thurman said. “But this team has shown that when it really matters, they can pull together and perform their best. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”