Great Oak Cheer Team Gives Oxford Something to Cheer About

Some good news to enter the long holiday weekend on.

The Oxford Board of Selectmen Wednesday honored the Great Oak Cheer Team for winning several major competitions this year.

The Great Oak cheer team is coached by Head Coach Gail Allegretto (in her 18th year as coach) and Assistant Coach Haley Dauerty ,a former Great Oak cheerleader.

There are 22 girls on the team and 1 team manager as follows:

8th graders: Carly Alton, Emily Baktis (Captain), Caroline Benczkowski, Izzy Chop (Captain), Taren Diaz (Captain), Marissa DiIulio, Izzie Lucarelli and Teresa Mineo

7th graders: Laura Congiu, Erin Cote, Molly Jacob, Gianna Kennedy-Cotto, Emma McClellan, Jenna Myers and Mackenzie Sill

6th graders: Danielle Barberio, Nikki Bobbie, Lexi Chmeil, Alena Kica, Stephanie O’Connell, Izzy Pavia, Nicole Pavia and Morgan Suttile (Manager)

The middle school cheer team is a two season sport, which begins practicing mid-September and culminates with the competition season in January and February. The cheer team also supports the girls and boy’s basketball teams at home games during their season from early December through mid-February.

This year, the team participated in 4 cheer competitions with the following results:

*Oxford Spirit Spectacular, Jan 10 - 1st place Junior High division and Originality Award

*Seymour Wildcat Open, Jan 17 - 2nd place Junior High division (by only 0.3!)

*Battle at St. Joe’s, Jan 31 - 1st place Junior High, Grand Champions (top score among 17

*Quinnipiac Cheer & Dance Challenge, Feb 21 - 1st place Junior High division, Bobcat Award (Grand Champions - 4 JV High School and 8 Junior High teams) and the Originality Award.

In addition, several team members competed in the Top Gun stunts, jumpers and tumblers portion of the competition.

Receiving medals were: 1st place stunt group: Emily Baktis, Izzy Chop, Taren Diaz and Izzie Lucarelli

Tumbling: 1st place Emily Baktis, 2nd place Danielle Barberio

Jumps: 1st place Emily Baktis, 2nd place Marissa DiIulio, 3rd place Mackenzie Sill

contributed photo: Pictured here is Oxford First Selectman George Temple, Selectman David McKane and Selectman Jeffrey Haney with coach Gail Allegretto.Members of the team are:

8th graders: Carly Alton, Emily Baktis (Captain), Caroline Benczkowski, Izzy Chop (Captain), Taren Diaz (Captain), Marissa DiIulio, Izzie Lucarelli and Teresa Mineo

7th graders: Laura Congiu, Erin Cote, Molly Jacob, Gianna Kennedy-Cotto, Emma McClellan, Jenna Myers and Mackenzie Sill

6th graders: Danielle Barberio, Nikki Bobbie, Lexi Chmeil, Alena Kica, Stephanie O’Connell, Izzy Pavia, Nicole Pavia and Morgan Suttile (Manager)