Dance picks up runner-up slot, cheer among top four

FREMONT, NEB. – As the 2022 competitive cheerleading and dance calendar made a stop at Midland University's Invitational Friday, Jan. 28, continued improvements from a season-opening dual at Concordia University the week prior were sought after. 

Head coaches Alisha Knowler, and Dakota VanHauen received just that among a six-team cheer and seven-team dance field at MU's Wikert Events Center.

"Friday's performance was much better than our opener.," Knowler noted of her team's 79.2-point outing. "I'm proud of what the team put out on the floor. We brought the right energy and need to continue to improve."

Mside wound up second to host Midland for the top spot. The Warriors posted an 83 to eclipse their Great Plains Athletic Conference rivals by less than four points. Hope International University and Baker University rounded out the first four with 72.2 and 72, respectively. 

Looking ahead to the squad's Feb. 9 home opener, Knowler indicated more work is in the cards to continue refining. 

"There are parts of the routine that still need to be addressed to put an even better effort moving forward," she added.

Van Hauen's crew posted a 62.3 for fourth place. The Mustangs were less than three points from surpassing Northwestern College for third (64.4). Midland and Concordia went one-two (77.03-72.9). 

"This performance, we had a lot more confidence, and we're more comfortable being out on the mat," he said. "We will begin to upgrade our skills and push to clean the difficulty as we go forward."

Mside hosts Grand View College and Hastings College for the 2022 Morningside University Duals Wednesday, Feb. 9. Competition begins at 7 p.m. at Allee Gymnasium in the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center.