Traveling to Orlando, Florida for the 2026 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship DII, Apollo finished seventh in Small Varsity Coed DII Game Day. Competing in Preliminary Group B, they finished second with a score of 88.4, before having the top score in the semi-finals.
They weren’t the only local school to compete, as Owensboro and Owensboro Catholic both joined them.
Owensboro sent two teams, with their Black Squad placing 16th in Small Varsity Coed DII. They just missed out on advancing by 0.1 points. After finishing fifth in Preliminary Group A, Owensboro’s Red Squad finished ninth in Small Varsity Non Tumbling DII Intermediate.
“Our Black Squad finished 16th out of 27 teams and just missed out on advancing by 0.1 points, which was tough,” Owensboro Head Coach Heather Cavitt said. “Our Red Squad finished ninth out of 30 teams, which is great. We had three zero-deduction routines for us this year. It was very successful and we are ready to build on it for next year.”
Performing at nationals for the first time in over 30 years, Owensboro Catholic competed in Small Varsity Non Tumbling DII Game Day. They finished 12th in Preliminary Group B with a score of 81.
“Being able to compete at Nationals after more than 30 years means everything to me, especially being an OCHS cheer alumna,” Owensboro Catholic Assistant Coach Abby Burns said. “It is a testament to our dedication, teamwork, and belief in what we are capable of. We are not just representing ourselves. We are representing our school, the OC community, and a legacy that is decades in the making.”
