On Tuesday, March 11, the Wellington Village Council officially recognized and honored this year’s varsity competitive cheer team from Wellington High School for its list of impressive accomplishments during the current school year.
During the council meeting, each member of the WHS cheer team was issued a certificate of recognition for winning this year’s Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A state championship in the Extra Large Non-Tumbling category on Saturday, March 1 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The village saluted the team for “showcasing their hard work, teamwork and determination.”
This year’s team was led by head coach Heather Brodnicki and assistant coach Emily Mozdzierz.
The members of the WHS varsity competitive cheer squad are Azaria Adams, Ajah Alves, Baileigh Anderson, Taylor Carbocci, Alondra Cavalie, Courtney Cole, Berlyn Conerly, Maggie Crum, Saybre Cyriaque, Jessica DiPietro, Mackenzie Hays, Morgan Hays, Ava Hefty, Sophia Heinen, Abbie Hill, Arianna Hunt, Jalaina Kane, Grace Lam, Kelli Martin, Andrea Moya, Lily Neama, Mackenzie Ocasio, Eliana Pamatat, Grace Poirier, Melany Quartarolli, Zoe Savage, Candace Schultz, Aubrey Smith, Riley Stewart, Kaitlyn Strathie, Michelina Tozzi and Alissa Wroy.
The senior leaders on the team are Kaitlyn Strathie, Kelli Martin, Saybre Cyriaque, Berlyn Conerly, Mackenzie Hays and Morgan Hays.
According to Brodnicki, the state championship victory was the result of hard work, teamwork and perseverance.
“We have competed three years in a row against an extremely talented team from Lakeland High School,” she said. “Wellington High School has been state runner-up the past three years. We knew that it would be very close again, and it was! We won by 0.4 points.”
Brodnicki is now in her sixth year as the WHS varsity cheerleading coach.
“This is the second state championship for WHS cheer,” she said. “The first one was in 2017. Here’s a fun fact: our assistant coach, Emily Mozdzierz, was a cheerleader on that 2017 championship team.”
While the highlight of the team’s competitive cheer calendar was winning this year’s state championship, the competitive cheerleading team from WHS also had first-place finishes at the UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) regional in Lakeland on Dec. 14, the UCA World Final in Orlando on Feb. 9 and in the FHSAA Class 2A regional in Coral Springs on Jan. 25, which qualified the team for its trip to Lakeland on March 1. Wellington also placed third in the UCA national final, which was also held in Orlando on Feb. 9.
As the end of the current school year approaches, that means Brodnicki will be looking to build a new varsity competitive cheer team for the 2025-26 school year.
“We have sadly come to the end of our season and are looking forward to tryouts in the spring,” said Brodnicki, who has a combined 23 years of coaching experience in the western communities at Wellington High School, Binks Forest Elementary School, Wellington Landings Middle School, Wellington Elementary School, Panther Run Elementary School and Equestrian Trails Elementary School.
