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The cheerleaders were surprised with a clap-out before leaving for Nationals.

In a turn of events on Thursday, it was the student section leading a cheer for the cheerleaders in a surprise clap-out before the team left for Dallas, Texas, to compete in the NCA Nationals competition.

The cheerleaders met in Student Council sponsor Ms. Heather Lopez’s classroom when Student Council members and students in the upper D-wing classrooms lined the hallway holding signs and pom poms.

“It was really special,” junior Tori Miniex said. “We thought we were just meeting in her room to go over something. We had no idea that was planned.”

The cheerleaders headed to the airport on Thursday night in order to get to Dallas, Texas, to compete at the NCA Nationals against 260 schools from all around the nation.

Earlier this year, the Pattonville cheerleaders went to Lindenwood University to compete at the state championships on Dec. 1. The Pirates finished in 6th place in the 5A Small Division field.

Now they are competing on a much larger scale but they believe they can keep up with the best-of-the-best on the highest level.

“I’m excited to compete and I think we have a really good chance of making it far in this competition,” senior Maddie Ambrosecchia said.

They will perform a two-part routine on Saturday which includes a cheer routine and a music cheer.

“The cheer routine is more of your traditional cheerleading which we will say words and do chants and most of the things you hear at a game,” Miniex said. “After we are done with that, we get set for our music part which is more of a choreographed dance which includes stunts and dances that go along with the song.”

The national championship is an all-weekend event. Starting on Saturday, Pattonville will compete in a group with five other teams. They will receive a score and be ranked before performing again on Sunday.

Before they compete, they got a chance to have fun in Texas.

“Friday is a family fun day for us which we can do whatever we want,” Miniex said. “Then we will get together for a team dinner on Friday night.”