Brianna Stierlin experienced the best moment of her Montgomery County basketball cheerleading career at the Class 3 Show-Me Showdown last winter.

She got to walk to the Mizzou Arena court and helped hand out the fourth-place trophy to the boys basketball team, which made its first state tournament appearance in 50 years.

“It was amazing,” Stierlin said. “It was such a unique experience.”

Stierlin teamed up with now-graduated Peyton McGough to deliver the hardware to the Wildcats during a ceremony after the third-place game in which MCHS lost to Thayer, making it the first time since Judy Bothe in 1974 that a MCHS cheerleader gave a state trophy to a basketball team.

Stierlin said she couldn’t believe she participated in an awards presentation in front of numerous fans at the arena.

“It was so nerve-wracking,” Stierlin said. “It’s such a large crowd out there at the Mizzou Arena. But it was worth it. I had so much excitement built up. It was amazing.”

This winter, Stierlin returns for her third season with the MCHS basketball cheerleading team and is leading a squad that has just four members. Seniors Shelton Nash, junior Serenity Stokes and sophomore Colby Henderson are the other members. The cheerleaders, coached by Jamie Schroer, perform at mostly home games for both the boys and girls basketball teams.

“I love it,” said Stierlin, who is a junior. “Obviously, my passion is still here for it. We have such a strong connection. I love that we feel like such a great family. Having only four, a lot of people see it as a disadvantage, but it honestly brings us closer together and it shows our strengths.”

Stokes is back for her second year on the squad. She was also on the cheerleading team that made the trip to the Class 3 Show-Me Showdown last winter.

“I was actually really nervous to get on the court and see everybody play,” Stokes said. “Whenever we lost, it was like a heartbreaking moment.”

Henderson and Nash joined the team this year. Henderson hasn’t cheered since middle school, while Nash is cheering for the first time.

“They’re pretty great to cheer with,” Henderson said. “I think we make a good team.”

“I’m having a decent amount of fun,” Nash said. “It’s the first time I have ever done something like this. I’m enjoying it. It’s difficult at times because I haven’t done a lot of the stuff, but I’m figuring it out.”

Last year, the MCHS boys team qualified for Columbia by beating Priory in the state quarterfinals. The Wildcats went on to earn their fourth state trophy in program history.

“I know we were all very excited that we were able to make it to such an important place,” Stierlin said. “I know we were very proud of the boys who made it to state. We were cheering them on.”

No MCHS boys basketball team has ever gone to state in back-to-back years. The cheerleaders are optimistic that this year’s team will accomplish that feat.

“I just hope that we get to go to state again,” Stierlin said.