Redwood’s hat trick

School earns three trophies at big event

Members of Redwood School’s basketball and cheer teams display trophies won at the weekend’s Jaycees tournament. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

Why did they win?

“Because we’re the Raiders,” said 8th grade Raider Molly Hennesy.

Their hubris quickly died down of course. After all, Redwood also won the coveted Arman Gunnerson Sportsmanship award. No room for ego there.

“We won because we work together as a family,” said 7th grader Rachel Higgins.

Judges called the Redwood cheer family’s attitude “infectious,” said the competition’s coordinator, Sandy Cardoza.

“‘(The cheerleaders) were so happy it was contagious,’” one judge told Cardoza about watching Redwood. “‘They were so fun to watch. I was smiling.’”

Their energetic performance was preceded by nail-biting suspense while they waited to cheer.

“That one minute spent in the cafeteria (before performing) is the scariest moment in your life, but then you just go out and have fun,” Hennessy said, who also won All Tournament Individual Cheerleader award for the AA Division.

Redwood cheerleaders were awarded four of the seven “All Tournament” spots for the AA Division. Shania Anderson, Taylor Barrington and Sydney Ratnour were the other Redwood All Tournament cheerleaders.

The Raiders cheer squad’s win was instrumental in garnering the Arman Gunnerson Sportsmanship award.

“It’s outstanding; they did great,” said Redwood principal Jeff Slayton.

The Redwood Red basketball team won the consolation championship over Robert Louis Stevenson, 60-43, in the AA Division. Redwood Red fell into the consolation bracket after a tough, 56-51 loss to Ferndale in the first round.

“They out-muscled us,” said point guard Joey Godla, who took third in the AA Division Hoop Shoot Contest. Godla and guard Kyle Cleland said that earlier in the season, Redwood Red actually beat the AA Division champs, Jacoby Creek, by 32 points.

Cardoza, who helped organize the cheer competition this year,  was “very excited” about the win for Redwood, where she used to  coach cheerleading. In 1996, her cheer squad won “Most Outstanding Cheer Team.” This year that award was taken home by Mountain View Middle School.

“They all did so well,” Cardoza said.

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