It’s a journey they have been anticipating; it’s a goal they have been working toward for months.

The Dexter Competition Cheer Team is leaving this weekend for the University of Missouri campus in Columbia where it will compete in the Missouri Cheerleading Championships. The Dexter squad will compete in Class 4 Small on Sunday at the Hearnes Center on the Mizzou campus.

Team members include seniors Taylor Martin, McKenzie Mitchell, Rilee Jones, Sydnie Rinehart, and Miranda Warner; juniors Sydney Graves, Jessica Norman, Brooke Stoker, and Brooke Duckworth; sophomores Alyssa Spear, Tayler Allen and Madison McGowen.

“We’ve been working hard on the routine,” coach Michelle Kirkley said recently. Kirkley and Laura Stone are coaches of the competitive team. The girls have been fitting practice time around studies and activities.  Among their practices this fall, they have had a practice session at the conclusion of every Dexter home volleyball game.

The journey began late spring, as the girls began working on their new routine. The squad placed in the Southeast Regional championship in July and qualified to compete at state.

Kirkley explained that the “small” does not designate the size of the school, but rather the size of the squad. Squads with 12 or less girls are classified as small; squads with more than 12 are large.

“Sikeston is in Class 4 as we are, but they are a large squad,” she said, explaining that the Sikeston team has 24 members; Dexter has 12. “At competition Sikeston fans cheer us on, and we yell for them, too.”

The Class 4 Small category includes Dexter, as well as Monett, Festus,  St. Francis Borgia, Hillcrest, Buffalo, Republic, Mexico, Odessa, Benton, Perryville, Grandview, Lafayette, Marshfield, Moberly and Platte County.

Plans call for the girls to perform their routine on Saturday morning prior to their  10:30 departure from the Bearcat Event Center. Following the presentation to family and friends, the girls will begin their journey to Columbia.

The awards presentation for Class 4 will be held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday in the Hearnes Center following the competition.

Photo Above: The Dexter Competitive Cheer Team will compete this weekend in the Missouri State Cheerleading Championships in Columbia. (Photo courtesy of Amy Ellinghouse)