Ian Licavoli leads Ward Melville to third straight state Coed cheerleading championship
The Ward Melville Patriots compete in the New York State cheerleading championships at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, N.Y., on Saturday, March 7, 2026. Credit: Alexa M. Hernandez
BINGHAMTON — Ian Licavoli could have played football. The Ward Melville senior could have played volleyball. With his strength, balance and power, he could have wrestled.
He chose to be cheerleader.
He made the most important decision of his life when he chose to take the mat with the Ward Melville cheer team as a freshman. It was by far the right choice.
Licavoli led Ward Melville to its third straight state Coed cheerleading championship at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday afternoon in Binghamton. Ward Melville scored 85.8, Freeport had a score of 85 and third place Webster Thomas (Section V) was 79.7.
“I made the decision in ninth grade,” Licavoli said. “My journey has been something I will forever be grateful for. I fell in love with cheer and the challenges that came with it. I’ve enjoyed the ride with my cheer family, including all my sisters and best friends.”
Licavoli, who accepted a scholarship to cheer in college at the University of South Florida, is the main base for the Patriots. He was the epicenter of a flawless routine in the state finals.
“He’s one of the best male athletes in the sport we’ve ever seen,” Ward Melville coach Georgia Curtis said. “He was a leader immediately, always helping others improve and looking out for everyone. He is beloved by this team. He’s really made this Coed division a great one and been a role model for other guys to cheer.”
Jessica Scardino, one of Ward Melville’s captains, credited a close-knit team environment and the coaching leadership for the third state crown.
“There has been so many historical moments for our team,” Scardino said. “We made history winning our first state title and then we did it again. It’s been super special from the start. We learned important lessons from the seniors who came before us and that helped us become leaders. On and off the mat we trust each other and know we’re all giving it all we got.”
Ward Melville assistant coach Margaret Hurley said this team always shows up. Twelve of the 24 members of the team are seniors.
“We have that 15-minute rule,” Hurley laughed. “You know, if you’re not 15 minutes, you’re late. They were always early putting in the work.”
Licavoli led the Patriots on a short victory lap under the arena concourse afterward. The team celebrated with parents and fans.
“We earned this through repeated reps where we would play the music again and again to get our routines perfect,” Licavoli said. “Throughout my four years I had so many sisters, not teammates, and I became a brother to all of them. We put in the work. We trusted one another and built that bond. I’m not going to remember how many times we won but all the memorable moments like a family along the way. I can’t believe it’s over.”
Freeport runner-up
Less than a point separated Freeport and Ward Melville for the state Co-Ed title. The Red Devils had won every competition this season and were primed with a veteran team of 10 seniors to grab the school’s first title.
Freeport, the state runnerup, was undefeated and earned the Nassau crown, Newsday Cheer Fest and achieved every goal set for this season. Seven of the girls started in the eighth grade and are five-time Nassau champions.
“We’ve had an amazing year,” said Freeport coach Laurie Kolodny, in her 37th year at the helm. “It’s an incredibly talented and driven team. They’re execution was great again as the state crown was our final goal.”
The main base Mya Grayson, a Newsday first team All Long Island selection as a junior, and side base Alexis Sewer, a Newsday second team choice as a junior, led a nearly flawless routine.
“They were truly the most talented, hungry team I’ve ever coached,” said Kolodny, an elementary school art teacher. “We have a lot to be proud of.”
Division, Hauppauge finish in top 3
Long Island did quite well in Division B, putting two schools in the top three. Division was the state runner-up with a very athletic routine that made it close with the state champion from Hilton. Hauppauge, carrying a very young roster with only three seniors, performed well. The Eagles finished third in the state.
“We’ve had an excellent season,” Hauppauge coach Laura Alonzo said. “We have only three seniors on the team and we’ve worked extremely hard with a young group. We did well today, one little mishap at the end of our routine in the preliminaries. But what a wonderful experience for a young team to finish in the top three.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
