Yes folks, you’re reading that correctly; I’m at the Westchester County Center at the 61st annual Westchester County Cheerleading Invitational.

The Grand Champion competition will begin shortly. Joining yesterday’s teams New Rochelle, John Jay-East Fishkill, and R.C. Ketcham are Scarsdale, Harrison, and the reigning champion North Rockland Red Raiders.

Start order for tonight is John Jay-East Fishkill, New Rochelle, Ketcham.

Update 1: The teams from tonight will follow in this order… Harrison, North Rockland, Scarsdale.

Update 2: The teams are going through the warm ups so we should be getting ready to start soon.

Update 3: Actually the order is Ketcham, New Rochelle, John Jay-East Fishkill, Harrison, Scarsdale, North Rockland. Ketcham is now on the floor as competiton begins.

Update 4: The New Rochelle varsity takes the floor to the delight of their fans. Senior Eric Ortiz may be one of the best male tumblers I’ve seen. I’ve a lot of gymnastics in the section and he’s probably one of best I’ve seen. He sticks everything. The Huguenots overcame an early fall on a standing back tuck to put a really good routine together.

Update 5: Harrison is next up on the floor. They stuck a strong routine.

Update 6: Scarsdale, the small varsity champion, is now on the floor.

Update 7: North Rockland is up next and the “Raider Rumble” is in the house. If you’ve been to almost any Red Raider athletic event, you’ve heard of the “Raider Rumble”. They had one fall in a pyramid and on tumbling. The Grand Champion is over and now we wait on the results.

Update 8: It’s Dance Party USA with all the teams with the “Cha Cha Slide” as we wait for the results.

Update 9: New Rochelle wins the title.

Hey bloggers,

Hen Hud is warming up now, Eden is about to take the floor. The match will start shortly. No worries I have no coffee with me today so now spillage will occur. Though my p key is still none functional. I’ll try my best.

Be back in 10 when the match starts.

Casey

10:04 – The first serve is u and the crowds are already competing. Eden has a quick two points on ace serves.

10:06 – The Sailors are trying but they need to pick up on defense if they want to beat this tough Eden team.

5-1 Eden.

10:08 – Eden’s Stacey Smith is in the game and up at the net. She’s causing a lot of trouble for the Sailors.

8-4 Eden. Hen Hud serves.

10:10 – Eden is flawless out there. The Sailors are trying their best but they can’t seem to capitalize on the few mistakes Eden does make.

12-5 Eden

Big block for Meredith Fay after an intense volley. Hen Hud has the serve. Eden leads 13-7.

10:15 - Smith is out now, the Sailors need to come through and capitalize on this rotation series but they are letting Eden take a bigger lead. Eden leads 18-8.

Okay it’s 20-10. Hen Hud has the serve, Taylor Wickel is back in after getting her fingers taped u. Let’s see what the Sailors put together.

20-11. Nethersole kill.

10:18 a.m. – Timeout. Hen Hud trails 21-11. Everyone is getting in on the action but Eden’s defense is just not letting the ball hit the floor.

Taylor Wickel and Meredith Fay get a big block to stop game point at 24-15 but Eden takes the game with a kill.

Eden 25-15.

10:26 a.m. – Game 2

Eden is out to a big 6-0 lead. Stacey Smith of Eden is giving Hen Hud nothing to work with. The Sailors need to side out.

And they do – 6-1 Eden.

10:30 a.m. – Hen Hud timeout. The Sailors are trailing 10-1. Though they are getting some hits in the Eden defense is everywhere. The question now, bloggers, is can Hen Hud fight back.

It’s 16-3 here now. Hen Hud just needs to get Stacey Smith off the court and then they should be able to get some offense going.

10:35 a.m. – Hen Hud trails 20-4.

Taylor Wickel is out, icing her hand. Sareeta Nethersole just got a kill to make it 21-5 but Eden takes it right back. 22-5.

Game point 24-6. Hen Hud got a second chance on Eden violation but Eden took the point. Now Hen Hud has the serve again on a carry call. It is served out however and Eden takes the second game 25-7.

10:40 a.m. – GAME 3

Eden starts it off with two aces. 2-0

Taylor Wickel cuts Eden’s lead with a kill. Hen Hud now ties at 2-2.

Sailors have a 6-4 lead.

Eden reclaims the lead 8-6.

Sailors are within one 10-9 with the serve.

Sareeta Nethersole has a big kill 12-11. Eden leads. 13-11 on an Eden kill.

Hen Hud gets it back. They still trail 15-12.

Eden 19-15.

It’s 21-15. Hen Hud needs to sideout and get some points to stay in this match.

Nicole Carbone gets a kills 21-16.

23-18 Eden. Hen Hud has the serve and chance to rally here. An error by Stacey Smith from Eden gives the Sailors 23-19.

A kill by Sareeta Nethersole makes it 23-20 and the Sailors show they skill have some fight let in them.

An Eden hit goes out of bounds 23-21.

But Smith finally gets that kill 24-21. Match point.

Sareeta Nethersole gets the kill to save the match. Stacey Smith fires one back for the win. 25-22.

Eden are the New York State Champions.

The game is about to start here at SUNY Cortland. Southside leads 4-0 early in the second half of the Class A final. I heard Crystal Dunn scored either three or four of the goals.

Update, 39 minutes left in first half: Briarcliff scores already. Liana Cornacchio drew a corner kick less than a minute in. Katie Underwood hit a strong corner in front of the goalie, who saved a header by Cornacchio but surrendered a rebound. Katie Weiner — just like yesterday — was there to punch it in. 1-0 Briarcliff.

Update, 30 minutes left in half: Mechanicville tied it 1-1. It scored on a free kick in the seventh minute. The kick originated from the right side of the box. The shot was on goal. It bounced off the crossbar and in.

Update, 23 minutes left: Briarcliff allowed a corner and Mechanicville converted, scoring on a header to take a 2-1 lead. Jane Wallis tried to clear a ball from her own end about a minute later and went down to the turf in pain. She just walked off the field but looks OK.

Update, HALFTIME: Briarcliff still trails 2-1. The Bears had a throw in deep in the Mechanicville end but couldn’t get rid of it before the half expired.

Wallis returned to the field for the rest of the half. Mechanicville is a solid team that will give Briarcliff all it can handle as it tries for a third state title.

Update, 33 minutes left in the game: Briarcliff tied it 2-2 on a rebound goal by Savina Reid. Katie Underwood started the play with a free kick. Cornacchio had the first touch but Reid knocked it in.

Update, 20 minutes left: Still 2-2. Briarcliff has gotten the better of the play.

Update, 18:46 left: A brilliant play by Cornacchio helps gives Briarcliff the lead. The junior faked a cross from the right wing before dribbling along the goal line. She drew a defender and fed Weiner, who directed it past the keeper. 3-2.

Update, 13 minutes left: Mechanicville ties it on another free kick. This one was headed in on the run. Briarcliff just nearly regained the Underwood corner that was headed off the crossbar by Weiner. Cornacchio hit a post shortly after. Great action.

Update, END OF REGULATION: Still tied. Briarcliff knocked on the doorstep repeatedly but couldn’t get the winner. The teams will now play two 10 minute periods. If no one scores they will be followed with two five minute periods of sudden death.

Update, end of first OT: Still tied.

End of second OT: Still tied. We will now move on to two, five minute periods of sudden death. Briarcliff has had every single scoring opportunity since Mechanicville tied the score but the Bears are starting to look tired.

End of third OT: Still tied.

Update, FINAL, four OT: Briarcliff 4, Mechanicville 3.

Cornacchio scores on a header from directly in front of the goal. The Bears had just missed a goal in front. The ball rolled toward the right wing and Savina Reid set up Cornacchio with a perfect cross. The play started when Briana Reid blocked a clear.

Update, POSTGAME: Here are a few notes from the game:

• Cornacchio finished with one goal and three assists. She was named Briarcliff’s most outstanding player.
• Abby Maniello scored two goals and was named Mechanicville’s most outstanding player.
• Kelly Wall was named the most outstanding goalkeeper of the tournament. She made five saves in the final on eight shots.
• Mechanicville keeper Kelsey Desadore made eight saves, but Briarcliff took 32 shots.
• Katie Weiner scored two goals and had four in the final four alone. But her biggest play? Shielding the keeper on the game-winning to free up Cornacchio for the winning header.
• Savina Reid finished with a goal and an assist. She scored to tie the game 2-2 after Briarcliff fell behind and assisted on the winner with “a perfect cross,” Cornacchio said.
• As I mentioned earlier, Reid’s sister, Briana, a defender, pushed forward to prevent a clear and dribbled the ball deep into Briarcliff’s offensive zone. Her play led to the winner.

Here’s coach Owen Scully on what it meant to win a third straight state championship:

We’re all gifted to be around here together, to be able to do this. It’s very special. Moments like this are moments we’ll look back for the rest of our lives. And they did it.