Norwood High School Cheerleaders Capture Third Consecutive Bay State League Championship-October 20, 1984

Three-Peat Triumph at Natick High School Field-October 20, 1984

Everyone has their ups and downs. Everyone, that is, except the Norwood High School cheerleaders, whose rightful place remains firmly at the top. For the third consecutive year, the Mustangs captured the Bay State League’s Cheerleading Competition Championship.

Held under the Friday night lights at Natick High School Field, the 22-member squad—led by head coach Donna Brown and assistant coach Nancy Hiltz—secured top honors. Following the Mustangs in the standings were the Framingham South Flyers in second place, the Dedham Marauders in third, and the Needham Rockets in fourth. Rounding out the competitive field of league participants were Braintree, Walpole, Natick, Wellesley, and Framingham North.

“The seniors are having their cake and eating it, too,” beamed Brown, a former Norwood cheerleader captain. “Winning was definitely their ultimate goal. Since Pop Warner, these seniors have won competition every year. It would have been a real disappointment not to be first again. It’s a dream come true for them.”

Precision, Strategy, and Months of Preparation-October 20, 1984

Preparation for the championship requires intense year-round dedication. Following spring tryouts, teams begin practicing game cheers before transitioning into specialized competition routines in late August.

“We pick up little things throughout the summer at cheerleading camps, at invitational competitions, and by watching videotapes of national collegiate and high school contests,” Brown explained. “When school began, we practiced every day. Our captains (Debbie O’Donnell, Tricia Wenstrom, and Jennifer Lake) work well together, and give the squad a real positive attitude.”

Judged by a panel of three experts across five categories—difficulty, personality, precision, presentation, and execution—each team is allotted a strict four-minute window. The blue-and-gold squad delivered a stellar performance, earning a perfect score from one judge. Their routine featured the flawless execution of a challenging three-man high, shoulder-stand mount culminating in a member flipping backward off the top.

Rather than overloading their routine with risky maneuvers, Norwood prioritized absolute flawlessness. “We don’t go for as many stunts as the other teams,” the fifth-year coach noted. “We use the same amount each year, and feel very confident about all of them. Knowing you can hit four moves perfectly is better than using 12, and only doing seven well.”

Facing Rivals and the Dedication of the Sport-October 20, 1984

Norwood ultimately outscored runner-up Framingham South by 12 points, though Brown acknowledged that Dedham remained their fiercest historical rival. Under coach Nancy True, the maroon-and-white Marauders placed third and qualified for the spring Milford Tournament of Champions.

True reflected on the unique pressures of competitive cheerleading: “It’s really too bad you only have one night, early in the year, to prove how good you are. Every other sport has a whole season, which concludes in a championship game after three or four months. The cheerleaders work just as hard as any other sport… sometimes harder.”

1984 Norwood Championship Roster-October 20, 1984

• Seniors:Debbie O’Donnell, Tricia Wenstrom, Jennifer Lake, Joan McNamara, Kelli Bryant, Cheryl Covitz, Paula Scollins, Cathy Lefebure, Barbara Anello, Lisa Allen, Jo-Anne Hewitt, Kathy Connelly, and Kim Devine.
• Juniors:Diane Lind, Suzanne Floyd, Linda Del Rossi, Lara Salvatore, Wendy Miller, Kelly Carr, and Noelle Adames.
• Sophomores:Moira Herlihy and Elizabeth Phillips.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger