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Bringin’ home gold

SARAH SMELTZ/THE EXPRESS Winning smiles Above, the Central Mountain High School Majorettes, Color Guard and their coaches pose with their championship banners upon arriving back in Clinton County on Sunday night.

MILL HALL — The feeling of happiness was electric Sunday night as the Central Mountain High School Majorettes and Color Guard teams returned from their five day competition in Wildwood, N.J.

Both teams achieved something that hadn’t been done in years.

They came home Atlantic Coast Champions!

A full procession of fire trucks and rescue vehicles from local companies lined up and escorted the teams’ bus down Main Street in Lock Haven, through Flemington and to the high school outside of Mill Hall.

Dozens of family, friends and locals came out to show their support for the winners.

The CM majorettes are shown above. They are, from left, in back, Haley Blumm, Hannah Houseknecht, Samantha Elling, and Amara Hefferon. In front, from left, are Victoria Parker, Sydney Glossner, Coach Stephanie Ford, Karizma Tressler, Mckenna White, and Rachel Crust.

They lined up along their pathway to Central Mountain High School, many of them following to join in on the comradery.

Once at the high school, the teams got off their bus, hugging each other and their families, smiles plastered on their faces all the while.

They displayed their championship banners proudly.

Cameras flashed.

Cheers and offers of congratulations could be heard.

Central Mountain High School Wildcat mascot Jeff Alvarez, who took “Best Mascot” honors at the national competition in New Jersey

Queens’ “We are the Champions”‘ blasted loudly and the entire team could be heard singing loudly and proudly along with the well known lyrics.

“I don’t know if there’s words to describe it,” Color Guard coach Sunshine Kustaborder said.

Both she and her fellow coaches, Stephanie Ford and Stephanie Wilson couldn’t contain the pride they had for their hard working athletes.

“It’s been surreal,” Ford, who coaches the majorettes, said.

Kustaborder, Ford and Wilson explained that it had been 12 years since the color guards last win and over five years since the majorettes.

Victoria Parker, a color guard member, bites her gold medal.

The Wildcats competed against 235 teams from New Jersey, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania in a five day competition.

The nine member majorette team brought home their championship win with a score of 90.88 and the color guard’s team of 15 secured their victory with a 95.61.

All three coaches are already planning for next year, hoping to secure another couple of wins.

Even the mascot got to taste victory, winning best mascot during their stay.

“Central Mountain just brought it home,” Ford said.

In celebration of their victory, the teams will perform a showcase Wednesday at the high school for friends, family and anyone from the public who would like to see the championship winning moves they displayed in New Jersey. The event is free at Malinak Stadium at CMHS and will start at 6 p.m., weather permitting.

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