On Feb. 7, the Gorham High School cheerleading team made the trip to Augusta for the Maine State Cheerleading Championships. Even with only five returning athletes, the Rams had a very strong season.
Their season began back in late November, when they started putting their routine together. Ever since then, the team practiced six days a week, working to perfect their skills. Day in day out, the athletes showed up so they could work their way to the top of Class A.
They hosted their very own competition at GHS on Jan. 17, where they debuted their routine. This year at their annual Rampage competition, they placed third out of 11 teams. The following week, the GHS cheerleading team was supposed to attend the SMAA cheerleading competition. Unfortunately the competition was cancelled due to a severe snowstorm. Instead, the MPA decided to host the competition virtually. All Class A-South teams had the opportunity to submit a video of their routine, and get scored by the normal panel of judges.
On Jan. 29, the Rams were titled the 2026 SMAA champions. They beat 11 other teams, making this their first SMAA win since 2017.
Coach Julie Dvilinsky-Hobart said, “You think about all the hard practices, the corrections, the moment where you push them because you know they’re capable of more. To be the 2026 Southern Maine Conference champions made all of it worth it. I couldn’t have been more proud.”
The team went on to regionals at Sanford High School on Jan. 31. Here they had an outstanding performance, but were against very tough competition. Gorham ended up placing fourth and qualifying to go to the Maine State Cheer Championships in Augusta.
The week before states, the girls trained every day and improved their routine for their final performance. Coach Hobart explained, “It comes down to reps and trust. We do things over and over until it becomes second nature, so when the pressure is on, they can rely on their training and each other.”
When the day of states came, they were ready to put out their best routine yet. Not only were they competing against Class A-South, but they were also against the highly competitive Class A-North. The Rams hit a perfect routine, and they finished in sixth place out of the 16 teams that qualified.
Along with that, the Gorham High School varsity cheerleading team was presented with the Class A-South sportsmanship award. The last time the Rams were given this award was back in 2014. This award truly honors the team for their passion for the sport, and their kindness towards their competitors.
2026 was a monumental season for Gorham, and the future looks even brighter. “It’s been a journey. There were years that they tested us, and moments where it would’ve been easier to walk away, but Coach Erika and I never gave up. We believed in what this program could be. Watching these athletes spring go back to the top makes everything worth it,” Coach Hobart said.
Photo Caption: Gorham High School cheerleading team wins the Class A-South Sportsmanship award. (Photo Credit: Midcoast Photo)