By Chuck McGill -- Daily Staff Writer

Strasburg High School's cheerleading squad has breezed to the Bull Run District and Region B championships in recent weeks. Rams coach Anne Gorman wants one more: this Saturday's Group A state title.

Strasburg captured — "It wasn't close," according to Gorman — the region championship at Riverheads on Saturday. There were eight schools in the competition from four different districts — Bull Run, Shenandoah, Dogwood and James River. Strasburg finished first, outlasting Wilson Memorial, Riverheads and Appomattox.

Now the Rams set their sights on the Group A competition, which will be held at VCU in Richmond.

"It was the second crown for our triple crown," Gorman said of her team's performance at Riverheads. "We won regions and it was great. The first performance in the first round was flawless."

For their efforts, Strasburg placed five on the all-Region B team, including Kara Richman, Beth Bowers and Martie Kerns as first-teamers. Mallory Kerns and Brittany Polk earned second-team honors. Marti and Mallory are seniors, Richman a sophomore and Bowers and Polk are just freshmen.

Richman was also selected as the region's Cheerleader of the Year.

"Even the other schools, their parents were just amazed," said Gorman, who took home Region B Coach of the Year honors. "People stopped us to tell us how great the girls were."

Gorman gushed about the Rams' performance in recent weeks, but made no secret of what her team has up its sleeve for states. Last year, Strasburg finished third in the state competition after district and regional titles.

"Every time we go, we tweak [the routine] a lilttle bit more," Gorman said. "A lot of these kids are training year-round. Their raising the bar themselves. Their actually performing better than most AA schools."

She said the level of stunts her girls will be performing this year will raise eyebrows.

"It's the 'Wow' factor," Gorman said. "We are going to do a kick-double basket toss. She'll kick and rotate 720 degrees ... when you spin that fast, the crowd is amazed.

"It's fast and difficult, and to someone who doesn't understand the sport, they're amazed."

According to Gorman, Strasburg's second performance in the Region B competition was just a notch below its first, but that the Rams have progressed from districts to regions. She predicted the trend will continue, especially with the addition of a few new wrinkles.

"It's just raising the bar and pumping it up a little more," she said.

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