The summer of ‘25 was good to the Wellsville-Middletown cheerleading team.

The squad participated in a private Universal Cheerleaders Association cheer camp in June at W-M and celebrated an All-American team honor for the first time in program history. Also, six cheerleaders were named All-American cheerleaders.

Senior Brooke Stroup, juniors Legend Davis and Jenna Collins and sophomores Jade Thompson and Addison Nation were among the cheerleaders who celebrated an All-American award. 

“I feel like being all-American and getting that medal kind of boosted my confidence,” Nation said. “It makes me think, ‘If I could do it, so can so many other people.’ Being in cheer and being all-American helps me push myself more and work harder.”

Now, the W-M cheerleaders are hoping for a memorable winter of ‘26. They recently received good news that they were selected to participate in the Show-Me Showdown for the second year in a row. The squad will be doing halftime performances in three games on March 11 – the Class 1 semifinal games at 10 a.m. and noon at and the first Class 3 semifinal game at 2 p.m.

 “It’s amazing because last year we weren’t expecting to do it,” Stroup said. “Our coach (Michelle Stroup) kind of sprung it up on us. We cheered at three games last year and we get to cheer at three more games this year. I love that we get to show how good our small town squad is with all of these other schools that might not know us. We get to show all of our hard work that we’ve done the past few months.”

In addition to Stroup, Davis, Collins, Thompson and Nation, freshmen Emma Null, Ashlyn Beach and Alexis Brennan are also part of the cheerleading squad. The cheerleaders perform their routines at the W-M boys and girls basketball games.

Beach said she is enjoying high school cheerleading after two months.

“It’s very different from middle school,” Beach said. “There are a lot more older girls and they’re like my big sisters.”

Stroup has been with the program all four years. She is the only senior on this year’s team.

“I’m so excited to cheer with these girls,” Stroup said. “With the new freshmen on the squad, they’re doing amazing. This being my last year is kind of sentimental because I might not do it again, so it’s fun doing it with this group of girls.”

Stroup earned an All-American individual award for the second straight year at the UCA camp in June. She said camp instructor Abigail Rosa, who is the cheerleading coach at Central Methodist University, was helpful to her and her cheermates.

“We learned a lot of cool things from her,” the senior said. “She gave us great advice.”

Davis and Collins are back for their third seasons with the squad.

“Next year will be my last year cheering and it’s very sad, but very heartwarming,” Davis said. “I love cheer very much and I feel like I made a lot of friends through it and they’re family, so I’m excited.”

Thompson and Nation return for their second seasons.