By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

The Franklin High School co-ed Cheerleading team has continued to impress as the Panthers captured the MSAA Div. 1 2025 Fall Cheerleading State Championship, the Hockomock League Championship, and the MSAA Div. 1 South Regionals. The team’s dedication and teamwork have been key factors in their success, and they are proud to have won multiple state championships. This the school’s 17th and the sixth straight over the fall and winter seasons.

Coach Doni Gill, who is in her ninth season with the program, has been the guidance to the Panther’s success having captured 11 State Titles since her arrival in 2017. 

“Each year our goal is to continue to repeat as champions and I’ve been extremely lucky with the talent I have gotten. However, I don’t know how long it will continue to last,” the Franklin coach said. I hold the girls to very high expectations and have them working on performing the hardest skills we can while doing it safely.”

By pushing her girls to the limit, Gill is able to get them to perform these difficult routines, and when it’s done right, the girls’ confidence soars. Volunteer Coach Eric Bichao brings the difficult skills to the table and choregraphs all the routines. Like Gill, he too looks to have the girls performing the hardest routines possible.

Senior captains Areiel Orrell and Cassidy Stanley are the lynch pins to the Panthers’ success. Orrell is an amazing talent  according to her Coach. This year, in addition to being the team’s top tumbler performing the hardest passes, the senior took on the position of main base for the first time.

“Being her first year in doing so, she knocked it out of the park,” Gill said. “She learned the position and picked it up quickly and with skill. Doing what she did was not only difficult, but she did it with two broken pinkies.”

Stanley also had an injury to her shoulder, but trudged through her performance with a brace. The team’s secondary base leads the team to where they are in their stunting. Her grit and determination had the rest of the team following in her footsteps.

“These two pushing through the pain and injuries shows the younger girls that it’s not what you say as captains but how you set the example on the floor,” the Coach said. 

In addition to the captains, Gill has been impressed with freshman Riley Lemay. The first-year flyer was thrust into action when the team lost its main flyer and having little to no experience coming into the year she proved her worth. Lemay learned how to perform some of the most difficult stunts in the state.

“Being a freshman and new to the sport, we really didn’t know if she could fundamentally do this,” Gill said. “She is a very coachable kid and will do anything that you ask of her and takes criticism to heart.”

As the cheer team adds yet another trophy to the successful teams that have graced the high school, Gill and Bichao are getting the winter tam ready for the next season. The squad will continue to practice a lot of the same routines, with a tweak here and there while adding two new girls to the team and losing some to play other sports this winter. 

“Our expectations do not change – we are looking to continue our winning ways into the winter season and defend our title,” the Panther Coach said. Eric will change some of the choreography while having the girls try new stunts, but overall, it will remain the same.”