Palomar’s cheer team successfully defended its title as best small cheer team in the nation after winning the USA Collegiate Nationals in late March.

The Palomar Small Coed cheer team competed March 22-23 at the United Spirit Association Collegiate National Championships in Anaheim, Calif., participating in the 2-year Small Coed Show Cheer competition.

The team of 16 girls and four boys spent two days at the Anaheim Convention Center competing against other two and four-year schools from around the state.

Jordyn Perry, a member of last year’s winning team, said “the pressure of competition definitely got to me on the mat. Plus as a returner, I felt like I had to lead the team and show the rookies there is nothing to be nervous about; I wanted the best for my team more than they could understand.”

A member of this year’s winning team, Hannah Bourasa, said they were up against three other teams in their division. The members weren’t worried because they had won the competition last year and knew they had one of “the best routines” going in to the competition, according to Bourasa.

The team performed once on Sunday and once on Monday. Bourasa said that after their first performance on Sunday they felt that they stood a good chance of winning. Their speculation was confirmed after the total combined scores were announced on Monday after their second performance.

Palomar’s cheer squad had the best score in its division, beating out three other teams from 2-year schools for the win. Not all members on the cheer team had competed before, so they were focusing on getting exposure and experience as opposed to getting a trophy.

The cheer team spends close to 10 hours a week together practicing and they have become a tight-knit group of athletes.

“You pretty much make a family out of it because you’re practicing all the time together,” Bourasa said.

Palomar’s win at the USA Collegiate Nationals has catapulted them into more rigorous training in preparation for their next and final competition of the semester, the Daytona, Fla. Collegiate Nationals in mid-April.