Cheerleading
Who earned Newsday's top honors for their cheerleading performances this season?
4m read"All of our hard work from the season just paid off, it was literally a dream come true," said All-Division captain Tiffany Pereira.
2m readThe oh-so-close Vikings climb to the top of the New York state Large Schools ladder.
2m readMustangs win third consecutive Division II Small School state crown.
2m readThe program also was crowned champion in 2019.
1m readAfter long wait to compete, the Vikings won the Division II large school championship with the highest overall score of the day.
2m readSchool finished with a score of 87.80. Wantagh took second with 84.10.
2m readMembers of the cheerleading team didn't expect to hear their names called as winners of the Division I Large School meet.
2m readScenes from the New York State cheerleading championships on Saturday in Rochester, N.Y.
Capacity at the event will be less than 400, which means that vaccinations will not be necessary to compete but there will be no room for spectators.
1m readSeptember's vaccine and testing rules remain in place for cheerleading, wrestling and hoops.
2m readBulldogs varsity cheer team keeps spirits up, even through challenges of COVID shutdowns and death of beloved coach Anne Wishniak.
2m readAfter a year off because of budget cuts, the Blue Waves have put it all back together and will be going to nationals Feb. 11-13 in Orlando.
3m readA look at the best high school cheerleading teams on Long Island.
4m read"The leadership in our schools have followed the safety protocols and done everything required to keep us playing," Section XI executive director Tom Combs said. "There is still some uncertainty out there so no one is taking any chances."
2m readLong Island's public high schools can begin practicing next week and any additional safety measures will be determined by districts.
2m readRecommendations include canceling or requiring players to be vaccinated in areas where transmission is high, which LI is considered by the CDC.
1m readMeet Newsday's All-Long Island cheerleading team from this past winter season.
5m readLexi Goodman of Massapequa and Samantha Cella of Seaford discuss how thankful they are to be back on the mat with their teams.
"Virtual competitions don't work, it's like practice," Seaford coach Lisa Ferrari said. "This was a really well-done event and it felt like a cheer competition."
2m readScenes from a Nassau cheerleading meet at Wantagh on Saturday.
A look at the top cheer teams across Long Island for this season.
4m readLI doctors and athletic directors discuss safety protocols and how they affect athletes' mental health, as high-risk sports resume.
Teams won't have enough practices to start playing games next Monday, so Nassau and Suffolk revamp schedules.
1m readThe district's decision to require weekly COVID-19 tests and remote learning has some athletes opting out of competing.
2m readDistrict plans to do intra-district schedules between its two high schools.
2m readProtocols won't require testing of athletes and coaches and will allow some fans at games.
2m readAfter months of unknowns and doubts concerning the fate of high-risk sports, they're excited to play.
5m readCounty Executive Steve Bellone on Monday said there will be weekly COVID-19 testing and temperatures taken before games and practices.
Steve Bellone announces guidelines that require weekly testing for athletes in high-risk sports when they begin practice and play on Feb. 1.
3m readBecause of risk related to COVID-19, boys and girls basketball, wrestling and competitive cheerleading won't have a start date until granted permission by Gov. Cuomo.
3m read"The high-risk sports start date continues to be examined and will be revised if needed but is contingent upon authorization from state officials," said NYSPHSAA executive director Robert Zayas.
1m read"We're looking at it now — right in the context of what the school infection rates are — so we should have them by November," said State Budget Director and Advisor Robert Mujica.
1m readThe lawsuit was brought by Massapequa's school district against Section VIII, the governing body for high school sports in Nassau County,
1m readThe traditional spring sports also will move from March 15, 2021 to an adjusted start date of April 19, 2021.
2m readWhile athletes are looking forward to playing sports again, some spoke of the concerns they have with wearing masks during practice
2m readThe fall high school sports season is set to begin on Sept. 21. The winter sports were to start on Nov. 16, but that date was pushed to Nov. 30 to give the fall season more time.
1m readTown of Oyster Bay officials held a rally at the Hicksville Athletic Center to make the case for a fall high school sports season in Nassau on Thursday.
Though only a small first step toward a fall season, the news was largely met across the Island with happiness and even some surprise by coaches and athletic directors.
2m readGov. Andrew M. Cuomo eased restrictions for certain fall high school sports including soccer and tennis, but not football.
A document outlining possible protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic for high school sports was issued by a national organization Tuesday, giving a glimpse of what we may see this fall and beyond.
3m readOnly three years after beginning its competitive cheerleading program, the Dalers were crowned the best in New York.
2m readAfter capturing the program's second state title last season, the Mustangs defended their Division II large crown in historic fashion.
2m readMaking its first appearance in the state championship, the team won the Division I small title, earning the second-highest score of the event with 93.28 points.
2m readMeet Newsday's All-Long Island cheerleading team for the 2019-2020 winter season.
Waters led Hauppauge to consecutive Suffolk championships and this year to the Small Division I state championship
1m readGilbert led Seaford to its fourth consecutive Nassau Large Division II championship and within .3 points of a state crown.
1m readIn just their second year as a varsity team, Farmingdale won the Division I Large School crown at the state cheerleading tournament at RIT on March 7, 2020.
Watch Mt. Sinai's routine in the state cheerleading championships on Saturday March 7, 2020.
Watch Hauppauge's routine in the state cheerleading championships on Saturday March 7, 2020.