The Tualatin Timberwolves confidently hit their pyramid at the Pacer Invitational.

Last weekend was jam-packed with cheer competitions as the season continues to heat up.

In the 1A-3A division, more contenders took to the mat. Delphian took the victory over Yamhill-Carlton at the Pacer Invitational, while Santiam Christian won first place over Scio (second) and Central Linn (third) at the Redhawk Rumble. This division is still a bit murky in terms of a clear frontrunner, but this will definitely be an exciting division to watch. 

Last week’s competitions also included a showdown between last year’s 4A state champion, Newport, and the runner-up, Sweet Home, at the Redhawk Rumble. This time, Sweet Home took the top spot, while Newport placed second and Philomath earned third place. 

The Ontario Tigers, who competed at both Lakeridge and Clackamas, took top honors both days. They placed first at Lakeridge, followed by Molalla in second, and they were the only competitor in their division at the Cavalier Cheer Invitational on Sunday. 

It was a quieter weekend for the 5A division with only three teams competing across the three competitions.

At the RedHawk Rumble, Lebanon took first place over Eagle Point, while Wilsonville competed for the first time this season in a division of its own at Clackamas. South Albany, the defending state champion in this division, also performed an exhibition, showing the RedHawks' potential to be at the top of the division again this year. 

The 5A division may be the most difficult to gain any insight into at the moment, as many of the teams have not competed against one another yet. Hopefully, we will see more matchups in the next few weeks before state. 

The 6A division, which looks like it will be the largest division at the state championships, showed up strong last weekend. The West Linn Lions took the top spot at the Pacer Invitational, with the Scots from David Douglas taking second, and the Barlow Bruins following up in third place. 

The Tigers from Newberg, who also competed in their own division at the RedHawk Rumble, placed first at the Cavalier Cheer Invitational. The Tigers hit a clean routine to take the title over Aloha, which placed second, and Liberty, which placed third. With West Linn, David Douglas, Newberg, and Aloha all performing strong routines this past weekend, the battle for the top five looks like it will be fierce and crowded. 

Last weekend brought out nine of the teams competing in the Small Coed division across the three competitions.

At Lakeridge, the Westview Wildcats had another strong performance, taking first place at the Pacer Invitational. The Dalles, which competed for the first time this competition season, debuted its creative routine with a throwback heartbeat theme. This team shows the potential to be in the race for the top spots in the division. The Beavers from Beaverton High School took third place with a team that looks to be growing in confidence each time they take the mat.

At the RedHawk Rumble, Crescent Valley earned first place over Roseburg, which took second, and Southridge, which took third. On Sunday, Forest Grove had a successful competition debut, earning first place. The Milwaukie Mustangs placed second and the Vikings from North Salem placed third. 

The Timberwolves from Tualatin continued their first-place streak, placing first in the Large Coed division at the Pacer Invitational. Following behind them was McMinnville, which placed second, and Umatilla, which placed third. 

At the RedHawk Rumble, Thurston took top honors, followed by North Medford (second) and Henley (third). The Henley Hornets showed their dedication to the sport by traveling through deep snow from Klamath Falls to compete at all three competitions offered this weekend. The Umatilla Vikings, who placed third on Saturday, had a better showing on Sunday and earned first place. The top three was rounded out by North Medford in second and Henley in third.