CHAFFEE GROUPS TO PERFORM AT TOURNEY

CHAFFEE -- The Chaffee High School Drill Team and Cheerleaders will perform a routine today during the halftime of the 1A state basketball finals in Columbia.

The Chaffee High School Drill Team won the state title for its division March 1. The cheerleaders won third place in state competition in November.

The performance is scheduled to begin about 12:30 p.m. at the Hearnes Center.

The combination of the drill team and cheerleading squad was invited to perform during halftime based on the teams' combined success in state competition and their reputations, said Darcy Morgan, coach for both teams.

The drill team is just 2 years old. The team started last year as a auxiliary unit for the marching band and performed with the band during halftime at football games. In addition, the drill team performs at home basketball games.

This year is the first year for the drill team to enter state competition, and it won it all for schools its size.

"The girls did a good job of working together as a team," Morgan said.

To win, the state title, the drill team performed three routines in three different styles of dance.

The girls earned the superior high-point trophy for each of the routines. They also won the overall state championship by gathering the highest total score.

"We were looking for variety," Morgan said. The performances ranged from a lyrical ballet to a Broadway production number to music from A Chorus Line.

Today's halftime performance is a hybrid of the state competition routines for both groups and includes both dance and cheerleading.

Many of the same girls participate in both cheerleading and the drill team.

Chaffee's cheerleading squad finished third in the state in its division during state competition in November.

Its three-minute routine in the competition included cheers, chants, stunts, pyramids, jumps and dance. The team scored 342 points, just two points less than the second-place group.

The Chaffee cheerleaders also earned academic recognition. Chaffee is one of 44 schools in Missouri honored for its cheerleaders' academic achievement.

Team captains are Brandi Loucks and Danielle Morgan. Other members of the team performing today are Monica Harrell, Athena Hampton, Betsy Rice, Belinda Noble, Crystal Schultz, Wendy Hanselman, Kelly Glueck, Amanda Robertson, Stevie Burks, Monica Harrell and Dusti Garner.