The Grant Union Prospector cheerleaders wait for the football team to take the field in the Oct. 13 homecoming game against Imbler.

Go! Fight! Win!

Grant Union cheerleaders were busy making posters, with those words, in preparation for the Saturday, Nov. 4, state playoff football game.

“I’m proud of the team,” said cheerleader Kelsey Morrison, a senior. “They’ve worked really hard. I’m excited about the game, and I hope we win.”

It was a sentiment shared by the other girls.

“It’s been a great season,” said Tegan Wright, referring to the football and cheerleading team.

This year’s cheer squad includes 10 girls, led by head coach Jodi Ranft who is in her fifth year leading the team. All but two on the roster are new to cheerleading.

“After our first practice, I was thinking ‘Oh, Lordy, how am I going to do this?’” Ranft said. “All of them have surprised me, and they work hard in practice.”

Junior Celine Hicks has eight years of experience, and Morrison has been cheering for five years.

Morrison said she’s especially enjoyed cheerleading with the team this season.

“Most are in their first year, and they’ve done well, and they’ve worked really hard,” she said.

Other seniors on the team are Cody Jo Madden, Tressa Ranft, Tegan Wright and Mariah Wright, along with one more junior and three freshmen.

Coach Ranft said a focus of hers, which she shares with the girls, is to bring back school spirit, including more crowd participation in cheering for the team.

“All in all, the girls have been having a blast,” she said. “We have a lot of fun, and that’s been one of my biggest goals.”

Madden said she tried out for cheerleading this year to be involved and be with friends.

“It’s a lot of fun, and it would be more fun if we had more students who participated in cheering,” she said. “I enjoy cheering for our boys when they’ve come this far in their season.”

Tressa said she also enjoys the time cheering gives for her to be with friends.

“It will be a memorable season, because I’m here with my friends, and we’ve been supporting our boys through their football season,” she said.

Tegan Wright added, “I’m proud of the boys for how far they’ve come, and hopefully they keep going and win a state championship.”