46 APRIL 2020 By Rachael Bouley After strong seasons from the AHS spiritline program, the talented Titans took things to the next level as the cheer squad won the state championship and pom took second as state runners-up. The road to the championships included plenty of early practices, countless run- throughs of routines and a few significant milestones along the way. Before these teams could showcase their strengths on the state stage, they needed to make it through the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s (AIA) State Qualifiers in November. They didn’t just qualify, but they dominated the competition, with the cheer team coming in first and the pom team placing second out of 22 teams. Their energetic performances set the tone for the rest of the season as both the cheer and pom squads continued to improve, tweaking their performances to get better each time. With tireless enthusiasm and energy for performing, the Titans were set for success at the state level. Cheer Head Coach Moriah Johnson said watching the girls win state is something she will never forget. “It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it,” Johnson said. “This team came and put all their hard work together to perform their best routine yet. It was stunning, and as a coach, it was the best feeling to watch them hit.” The 15 athletes had numerous practices and trained for days to prepare for the state championship, with a long list of stunts they had to hit in a row. Their routine included high tumbling passes with layouts, fulls and K-twist baskets, all complicated moves that require careful coordination and timing. “The captains made a poster for the girls to add a sticker to for every time they hit a perfect routine,” Johnson said. “It was intense, but they did amazing.” The Titans kept working to make their routines more difficult with every competition so that they could continue building their skills and come up with something special to wow the judges. Johnson believes their commitment and passion was the key to success for both the cheer and pom squads. “It has to do with the love these girls have for each other and the sport. They love what they do, and it shows when they perform,” Johnson said. “They bring so much energy when they hit the mat. They go out there and perform for the crowd and each other.” All year long, the cheer team kept saying “families finish first,” and that strong sense of comradery and friendship propelled the Titans toward a season to remember. Johnson and Coach Ashley Parcell instilled in them early the importance of coming together as a team and having positive attitudes, which paid off with their first and second place finishes at state. Throughout the season, Parcell enjoyed getting to watch these girls grow as athletes, students and teammates. “I have never met another group of girls who know how to work so hard and come together as a team for the common goal,” Parcell said. “They have great communication with each other and love each other like a family. They are my dream team. As a coach, all I ever want is for my athletes to take the floor and put their heart and passion out there and give it their all. The outcome doesn’t matter as long as they do and feel their best and they never fail to do just that.” AHS spiritline flies high, finishes on top at state Back row, from left: Head Coach Moriah Johnson, Morgan Holloway, Charlotte Crowson, Madison McGrath, Molly Myers-Haeussler, Serenity Brunning, Anna Gibb, Anya Kleinlein. Front row: Gianna Rosenboom, Brinley Strand, May Gilbert, Paige Pender, Camey Barnoli, Amber Serna, Angelina Aponte, Sophia Henry, Assistant Coach Lindsey Stone. PHOTO COURTESY OF MORIAH JOHNSON By Amanda Savage Veritas Prep Academy’s varsity boys soccer team is the first boys team in the school’s history to win a state championship in 3A in 2020, and it was accomplished under the leadership of the soccer team’s new coach, Richard Cardenas. Cardenas was previously the coach of Veritas’ middle school boys soccer, which has won consecutive championships under his instruction. When the boys varsity soccer coach left unexpectedly in 2018, Cardenas stepped in. The team’s record the year before Cardenas was 6-9, and the first year under his guidance, the team went 15-2 and made it to the semifinals (where they lost to Coronado). “It is very easy for these young athletes to get mentally fatigued and not have enough emotional energy that tough games require to win. The proper mix of encouragement and fun must be applied with the hard work to keep them confident and focused,” said Cardenas. According to the boys team, achieving a high level of focus and confidence individually and as a team was one of their greatest challenges for the season. “We had a goal to win state and were disciplined in achieving this goal,” said Marshall Briggs, a senior and center attacking middle fielder. “I enjoy the competition, but I also enjoy the dynamics of having to organize a new batch of players into a winning team every year,” said Cardenas. Even though the varsity soccer team had never won a state championship, Cardenas saw their potential based on their stats from last year and the dynamic personalities on the team. “The team camaraderie was exceptional. From top to bottom, everybody got along extremely well,” said Cardenas. Sam Zook, a junior left middle fielder, echoed this and explained, “this year, everything just clicked.” According to Cardenas, the team faced many injuries that became “difficult to manage” throughout the season. “We had a lot of them and had to sit out key players in difficult games,” said Cardenas. “The team had good depth, so we did not lose any talent on the field when we substituted players.” Despite their struggles, the team qualified for the semifinals. Briggs said that playing in the state tournament was the “best atmosphere” he had ever played in. He was one of the three seniors who led the team, along with goalie Ben Power and forward Jason Nunez. Nunez holds the record for most goals scored in Veritas’ history. Junior Landon Briggs and sophomore Brody Richter are credited by onlookers as anchoring the team’s defense. In the end, they beat their rivals at Coronado, who ousted them in the semifinals the previous year. Coronado or Yuma Catholic had won the state championship the previous six years. Veritas ended the regular season with a 10-1 record. Junior and center middle fielder Filo Lapiana was awarded the team’s most valuable player. He said that the experience helped him build self-confidence and “grow up as a player and as a person.” The historical win led to Cardenas being named state Coach of the Year in the 3A division for 2019 and 2020. “I just try to read the team’s energy and tailor my coaching to it,” said Cardenas. New coach leads Veritas boys soccer to state championship Veritas’ varsity soccer team celebrates a phenomenal season, where they won their first state championship. PHOTO COURTESY OF RICH CARDENAS

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