The Sequoit varsity cheerleaders believed in the A, as on Feb. 2 they advanced to day two of the Illinois High School Association’s competitive cheerleading finals.

“The great thing about tomorrow is that today is done and that you get to go out there knowing that you’re top ten,” Sequoit alumna and head varsity cheerleading coach Amber Babin said. “[It’s] knowing that you’re through all of the challenges that you’ve gone through throughout the year and knowing that you have three minutes to give every ounce of everything you have left in you on the floor. Tomorrow is when you get to have fun because now the nerves are off.”

The team’s performance, the one Babin sees as being the more nerve wracking of the two days, placed them third in the medium varsity division behind Crystal Lake Central and Lemont, but ahead of other conference teams, Grayslake Central and Grayslake North, who advanced to day two as well.

“It’s a relief that we can relax now,” Babin said. “I feel really good about what they did and what they’re going to be able to do tomorrow.”

Both Babin and senior varsity cheerleader Aubrey Kay share similar views on going out onto the mat and cheerleading’s impact.

“In cheerleading when you’re out on that floor at this competitive level you cannot be an individual whatsoever,” Babin said. “You have to come together as a team, and when they do that they perform so well and that’s what I’m most proud of them for.”

Kay, a four-year varsity cheerleader, is staring down the end of her high school cheerleading career.

“Cheerleading is something that I love to do and it’s never let me down, so it’s just making my senior year so much better,” said Kay. “I’m just looking forward to having fun, making my last performance the most memorable and being with my team.”

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The Sequoits are set to perform at 12:15 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 3.