After months of cheering on the sidelines, watching others compete, the Redhawks got a chance to compete themselves on Thursday in the UIL State Spirit Competition, finishing 11th out of 64 schools in 5A-Division 1, the highest placing in Frisco ISD, and the best finish in school history.  

“I was very, very proud of us,” freshman Malia Willingham said via text. “We have been working so hard on this performance and it paid off. It was so fun to get to spend the entire day with my team doing what we love.”

Following last year’s competition where the team did not advance to finals, this year they had high expectations which only made them want to work harder.

“Since our goal was to make finals this year, I think next year our goal should be to place,” sophomore Allie Elgin said via text. “But honestly making finals is a great accomplishment already.”

According to junior Sydney Glover, the team’s finish was unexpected because of the skill level of the competition and the fight each team brought.

“I know how hard we all worked this season and I expected it to pay off,” Glover said via text. “I was surprised seeing how far our team came. Seeing all the teams there and thinking they were good, then later scoring around the same as them made me feel so impressed with our team.”

However, the performance meant much more to the team than just a school record.

“It’s cheesy, but it really did feel like a dream,” Willingham said. “Being out there with my team, performing something we have been working hard on felt so rewarding.”