The Kearney High School Varsity Cheer squad earned third place at the 2025 state championship on Saturday, Nov. 1!

The Bulldogs garnered their highest score in school history, maxing out their difficulty scores in Jumps, Pyramid and Stunts. They had the highest-scoring Dance of their session, and the judges were wowed by their routine. 

These athletes have less than three minutes to prove hours and hours of work. The judges' comments stated this team was entertaining and exciting to watch, according to Head Coach Erin Schmeltz. 

"These kids are hands down the most skilled in the state," Coach Schmeltz said. "They stayed in third with a couple of deductions to their routine, but improved their raw score to one of the highest of the day. We are so proud of this team and look forward to their next performance!"