South Haven News

By Claire Minor

The high school 2025 Outlaw cheer season has officially ended. There were 12 cheerleaders this fall season and they were senior Annabelle Burden, juniors Witney Goebel, Sydnie Goebel, Makenzie Callison, Avery Strickland, and Piper Dodds, sophomores Ava Misner, Khloe Misner, Kassidy Lowery, Kaylee Rowley, Carley Russell, and freshman Trista Metzinger. Oh, and you can’t forget the mascot, Baxter the Outlaw. The person under the mask was Sophomore, Ryleigh Rountree. The coaches were Chelsea Metzinger and Lesly Blosser. 

As mentioned previously, Annabelle Burden was the only senior and captain on the Outlaw cheer squad. Burden has been cheering for six years and other than being captain, she was the main flyer. Burden’s favorite part of the season was the suburban rides with the cheer team because they would go get food and jam out to music. Burden’s best memory during cheer was their practices because they got to learn a bunch of new stuff such as new stunts, cheers, and tumbling. Overall just a fun time spent with all of the girls.

The only downside to the season that Burden shared was how the girls would goof around, making it harder to learn. Burden said that a captain’s duties are planning pep-rallies, teaching cheers, calling cheers, and making sure that everyone is doing what they’re supposed to. Burden mentioned that being captain was exciting, but also nerve racking, saying “When you’re the only captain, you don’t have anyone else to fall back on so everyone comes to you for everything.” Being a captain is different from being just a cheerleader because you have to think and pay attention more and you have to make sure that you know what you’re doing along with everyone else as well.

Out of everything, Burden is going to miss cheering for football the most because it was enjoyable to be outside and to be excited for the boys when they did something good. Just a little something extra that Burden would like to add is… “Go Outlaws!”

The cheerleader up next is junior Sydnie Goebel. Goebel has been cheering for three years and she was a secondary flyer for the Outlaws during the season. Goebel’s favorite part of Outlaw cheer was the bond that all of the girls had on the team, saying that they all got way closer than they had in previous years. Goebel’s best memory was when they were playing at a home game and when the boys won, they all ran up to ring the bell. Goebel’s least favorite part about Outlaw cheer was when it was raining and they all still had to cheer which made their pom-poms, socks, and shoes all wet and soggy.

Goebel said that she is going to miss Annabelle the most because she is a senior so this was their last football season cheering together. Something extra that Goebel would like to add is that “This was one of the most irreplaceable years.”

Burden and Goebel and one answer that they both answered the same. That was “What was your favorite football game to cheer at and why?” They both said the last 11-man game against Conway Springs. They said it was their favorite because they had put popcorn in their windbreaker jackets and they ate it while cheering, seeing how much they could eat before coach Leslie Blosser noticed. S. Goebel said “We would even sneak off to the concession stand to get a refill.”

The 2025 Outlaw cheer season has come to an end. It was filled with many memorable moments and a strong team spirit provided by the girls. The cheerleaders brought energy and dedication to all of the football games, making it a very special year for the cheer squad and those there to see them in action.