Photo Credit: Victoria Duffy
By Dawn Miller
Published September 5, 2024 at 3:44 PM
Last updated September 5, 2024 at 4:53 PM
SPOTSWOOD, NJ - Chargers cheerleaders were introduced at the August 27 pep rally last week prior to the kickoff of the 2024-25 varsity football season at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex. Spotswood High School's cheerleaders graduated 10 members last June, including three who took their talents to the collegiate level. Angelica Coffey is cheering for Monmouth University while Liliana Simones is on TCNJ's squad. Emmalyn Barre is taking her acrobatic and tumbling skills to Georgian Court University.
Despite the large departure from the varsity squad, Spotswood High School head cheer coach Jaclyn Cassidy has a strong core returning, including Emily Handwerk, Victoria Lewis, Brianna Tessein, Kayla Duffy, Abby Griggs, Harper Hallerman, Xamantha Martinez and Morgin Rubin. This is Cassidy's fourth season as head cheer coach. The Schoenly School first grade teacher previously coached the Chargers JV squad for eight years.
“The year we welcome 10 new girls to our fall varsity squad,” Cassidy said. “All cheerleaders have experience cheering for our JV fall squad, varsity winter squad and/or both.”
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New to the varsity this fall are Kassidy Barre, Ellianna Chan, Skylar Norris, Ava Styles, Emily Bost, Jessica Bost, Chloe Poe, Rylee Kurtz, Jessie Motard and Jasani Rodriguez.
Over the summer, the squad focused on rebuilding.
“With a large amount of new cheerleaders on both our JV and varsity teams,” Cassidy said. "Coach Kali Snook and I focused on the importance of stunting basics to prepare our teams for game day. We are so happy with the amount of progress we have seen over the summer and proud of the commitment our athletes have."
Over the summer, several Chargers attending the annual UCA Cheer Camp received All-American honors including Duffy, Hallerman, Griggs, Motard, Rubin, Handwerk, Lewis, Scarfone, Barre, Emily Bost, Jessica Bost, Norris, Nylah Agbaje, Lainey Torok, Madison DeMarco and Kaitlyn Zubrycki.
The Chargers complete varsity roster for the 2024-25 season includes seniors Kayla Duffy, Abby Griggs, Harper Hallerman, Rylee Kurtz, Xamantha Martinez, Jessie Motard, Jasani Rodriguez and Morgan Rubin, juniors Emily Bost, Jessica Bost, Emily Handwerk, Victoria Lewis, Chloe Poe and Brianna Tessein along with sophomores Kassidy Barre, Ellianna Chan, Skylar Norris and Ava Styles.
Spotswood junior varsity roster for the fall cheer season includes juniors Addison Rivera, Gabby Spano and Kaitlyn Zubrycki, sophomores Nylah Agbaje, Kasey Capman, Madison DeMarco, Nicole Scarfone, Lainey Torok and Mia Vangerud as well as freshmen Emma DeStefano, Leah Gibb, Rebecca Grego, Sahana Kapadia, Gianna Riva, Emma Savarese and Olivia Taglietta.
Chargers cheerleaders are back in action on September 6 for a Friday Night Lights game in Roselle against Abraham Clark High School. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. On Monday, the JV cheerleaders take the sidelines at 4 p.m. when the Chargers JV team plays at Abraham Clark High School.