LEWISTON — Medomak Valley has been moving athletes around to fill in holes throughout the season while members of the cheer team have missed time due to things like COVID-19 quarantine and injuries.
So it’s been a tough year for the Panthers, coach Heather Simmons admits, but the grind paid off Saturday when the earned the Class B South championship — their 11th regional title in a row.
“It’s the best we’ve done all season,” Simmons said of Medomak’s performance. “As with all the teams this year, we’ve struggled every week to have a full team. There’s changing parts every day. You come in (to practices) and there could be five kids. We’ve yet to have a practice with a full team. Last week we had a girl separate her shoulder, so we really hope she can come back for the state championship so we can be at full throttle going into that.
“This is what we’ve been practicing for, but it’s been a rough road.”
Medomak Valley was the final team to perform in the last of four regional championships held at Lewiston High School on Saturday.
Simmons and assistant coach Rachel Coor said lauded the Panthers’ willingness to adapt to the constant adversity.
“We’ve been really blessed to have people step up every week,” Simmons said. “It’s just perseverance and hard work and dedication to our program; through not just this season but the whole year.”
“I am just amazed,” Coor added, “with what the kids pulled off today and I could not be happier.”
Senior captain Greg Cifaldo said the Panthers performed much better than their KVAC Class B championship performance two weeks ago.
“I’d say we took a decent jump,” Cifaldo said. “At KVACs we did well but it wasn’t our best. I think that today we showed how hard we work and how amazing every individual is on this team. It was a big leap. I feel over the moon. Very, very good. Crazy. Unreal.”
Medomak Valley earned a score of 82.
Leavitt finished second, a mirror of KVACs, with 71.9 points. Coach Andrea Keneborus said she was happy with the Hornets’ showing.
“I am thrilled with the performance the girls put out today,” Keneborus said. “They did exactly what they wanted to do: Hit a nice, clean routine. They felt amazing coming off the floor, and that’s my number one goal as a coach, and so we’re happy.”
In third was Gray-New Gloucester with a score of 58.4, followed by Erskine (55.2), Morse (50), Lincoln (42.4), Gardiner/Hall-Dale (42.4), Poland (42) and Lake Region (34.3).
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