The cheer squad took home the program’s first-ever county championship title Saturday, placing first in the Division III bracket.

The team entered counties with momentum from a recent win, hoping to improve on last season’s finish, junior Nina Roche said.

“Two weeks ago was the first time any Whitman cheer program placed first at a competition, period,” she said. “After getting third from a technicality last year, this has been our goal and we’ve dreamed about it for over a year.”

Roche attributed the achievement in part to increased backing from students, saying that the school’s support boosted the team’s confidence in their routine and inspired the team to represent the Vikes.

Hoping to use the win as a catalyst for future growth, the squad will retain most of its members next season and have the chance to improve their status.

“Winning this year means we have the opportunity to move up a division if we win or place next year, which is a huge motivator,” Roche said. “We also have a really young team this season which will help us next year because we won’t have to compensate as much for people who are graduating.”

While the future is bright, the team’s current success is certainly still something to cheer about.