By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Last week the Morgan County High School Cheerleaders hosted the Bulldog Invitational.
This is the fifth time that the MCMS competition cheerleading team has hosted the Invitational. Twenty-six teams from 22 schools came to Morgan County this year to perform in the competition.
The routines were divided into two competitions, the middle school teams and the high school teams. During the day there was also a break between the high school performances to give the judges a little time to prepare for the second series of routines.
The Morgan County Middle School Cheerleading team competed early in the day, and they ended up winning second place in the middle school competition with their high-energy, fast-paced performance.
Cousin’s Middle School won first place in the middle school division of the Invitational.
The MCHS Competition Cheerleading team did not perform at the Bulldog Invitational because one of the cheerleaders sustained an injury during practice earlier in the week. Due to the timing of the injury, the cheerleading team couldn’t revise and prepare a modified routine in time for Saturday.
“The girls and ourselves are disappointed because we like performing for Morgan County fans, but we did not want to risk injuries on the mat or to perform poorly for everyone,” said competition coach Amanda Pickles about having to back out of competing on Saturday.
The first grouping of high school routines was comprised to JV teams and teams from single-, double-, and triple-A divisions.
4-A through 6-A schools competed in the second set of performances, which also included three Co-Ed routines by Jackson County, Putnam County, and Rockdale.
The Bulldog Invitational serves as one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the MCHS Cheerleading teams. Booths and vendors were set up around the gym where fans for all teams could buy food and beverages, competition T-shirts and tank tops, and “Cheer grams.”
Cheer grams were ways for fans to, “ shout out to your cheerleader or team.” For $1 per message, fans could compose a message, which would be announced before the team of their choice took the floor.  
“The MCHS Cheerleaders would like to thank everyone for helping make the 2012 Bulldog Invitational a success.”
The next scheduled competition for the Cheerleading team will be this Saturday, Sept. 22 at North Oconee High School.

Printed in the September 20, 2012 edition