LI’s top 50 cheerleaders for the competitive season

Newsday’s annual look at Long Island’s top high school cheerleaders, in alphabetical order, as the 2024-2025 competitive season gets underway.

Kylee Alaimo, Miller Place, Flyer/Main Base, Sr.

Alaimo, a four-year pilot and main base, brings elite tumbling and stunting and an unparalleled spirit to the squad.

Julia Avena, Wantagh, Main/Side Base, Sr.

The masterful tumbler competes with a fully rotating layout and excels as a main and side base.

Alessia Bartholomew, Northport, Flyer, Sr.

The senior captain displays equally impressive tumbling and stunt skills that make her a powerful presence on the mat.

Kacey Berger, Sachem Oost, Flyer, Soph.

A standout performer since eighth grade, Berger flies in all of Sachem East’s elite stunts and pyramids and performs top-level tumbling passes.

Lana Blowes, Westhampton, Back Spot/Side Base, Sr.

The four-year member has elite-level skills such as low to high tick-tock full arounds, back handspring ups, ball ups and full ups.

McKenna Broderick, Sayville, Backspot, Sr.

Broderick performs elite tumbling passes such as roundoff handspring full and hand-to-hand full, along with super elite spinning, inversion and release skills. McKenna has stationed, flown and supported the Sayville squad.

Cameron Buckstein, Sachem Oost, Zijbasis, Soph.

In her third year with the team, Buckstein will continue to showcase her athleticism as one of the team’s most elite tumblers and side bases.

Ava Castellano, Massapequa, Backspot, Sr.

Castellano can support the most difficult skills and pyramids, adding strong tumbling skills emphasized by their length and strength.

Vanessa Coriolon, Harborfields, Flyer/base, Sr.

Cariolon contributes her tumbling skills, but shines at the top as a flyer and base.

Kaitlyn Fioretti, Shoreham-Wading River, Jr., Flyer

The four-year member is one of the squad’s main flyers and also adds a wide range of impressive tumbling skills on the mat.

Gabriella Fleischer, Sachem Noord, Zijbasis, Sr.

The returning Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection has been on the roster since her freshman season, when Sachem North won a provincial and state title. Fleischer can also play backup and is one of the team’s most elite tumblers.

Ava Gadbois, Massapequa, Base, Sr.

Gadbois is an elite tumbler and stunter, performing skills such as a full back handspring.

Ella Gibbons, East Islip, Flyer, Sr.

Gibbons has consistently pushed the boundaries since joining the squad as a sophomore, performing elite skills as a flyer and tumbler.

Mya Grayson, Freeport, Main Base, Jr.

The Newsday All-Long Island second teamer returns, performing super-elite skills and tumbling with top execution.

Nicole Hernandez, Freeport, Backspot, Sr.

The five-year member and two-year captain performs super elite stunts at the highest level.

Lily Jonas, Connetquot, Side Base/Flyer, Sr.

The six-year member and captain competes with elite tumbling and super-elite stunt skills.

Hayley Kern, Seaford, Main Base, Sr.

The four-year varsity starter can tumble and perform all the super elite stunts. Kern is a five-time county and four-time state champion.

Caitlyn King, East Meadow, Main Base/Side Base, Sr.

King performs super elite skills in both stunting and tumbling, with strong jumps and infectious energy.

Jasmin Lawrence, Farmingdale, Backspot, Jr.

The three-time provincial champion and second state champion stands out for her exceptional skills in both stunting and tumbling.

Maria Laucella, Kellenberg, Basis, Jr.

Laucella competes with elite tumbling skills and powerful stunt ability as a foundation.

Ian Licavoli, Ward Melville, Student Stunter, Jr.

The three-time county champion also helped Ward Melville win a state title at both the Game Day (2024) and Competitive (2023) championships and competes with super elite Coed stunting skills.

Hailey Loddigs, Mount Sinai, Flyer, Sr.

The four-year member is a three-time provincial and state champion and is known for her remarkable tumbling skills.

Lizzie Marino, Floyd, Flyer, Jr.

The elite bottlenose dolphin performs standing skills such as a toe touch full and walking skills including an Arabian to full. Marino is also a flyer with stunts including rewinds, hand-to-hands, full ups, and full high-to-high laps.

Natalia Mendolia, East Islip, Backspot, Sr.

The two-time captain is a powerhouse in the side and executes elite skills as a back-stop.

Lanette Mickel, Longwood, Main Base, Sr.

The two-year captain excels in both elite stunting and tumbling for Longwood.

Claudia Modica, Kings Park, Flyer, Sr.

The captain and four-year member shines on the mat with her impressive tumbling, including a full back handspring and stunt skills.

Brooke Napolitano, Mount Sinai, Main Base, Sr.

The five-year member and three-time county and state champion performs at the highest level in stunt and tumbling skills. Napolitano earned Newsday All-Long Island second-team honors.

Cara Nuzzi, Smithtown West, Main Base / Flyer, Jr.

Nuzzi has been an essential member of the team since eighth grade. Her athleticism is evident in her elite tumbling and bumbling in multiple positions.

Marisa Patsatsis, Seaford, Backspot, Sr.

Patsatsis can support all of her team’s super elite abilities and can protect almost anything from falls. She also possesses super-elite tumbling skills and is a five-time county and four-time state champion.

Ava Pohalski, East Meadow, Main Base, Sr.

Pohalski makes super elite stunts look easy with her sharp movements and fluidity.

Olivya Regan, Sachem East, Main Base, Jr.

Regan has based all the elite stunts and pyramids for Sachem East for the past three years. She is also one of the elite tumblers and has competed in a round backhand spring full and standing folds.

Olivia Riegel, Ward Melville, Basis, Jr.

Riegel continues to master super-elite stunt skills for the squad she helped win three provincial championships and a state title in the Game Day (2024) and Competitive (2023) seasons.

Reese Rogers, Rocky Point, Sidebase, Sr.

A versatile member of the squad, Rogers excelled as a backspot and side base. Her talent can be seen in both stunting and tumbling.

Liliana Romano, Sachem Noord, Flyer, Soph.

One of the team’s most elite flyers and tumblers, Romano contributed to the team’s success during the fall Game Day season.

Callie Russell, Rocky Point, Flyer, Sr.

Russell’s skills as a flyer and tumbler make her a key member of the Rocky Point team.

Tori Salazar, Oceanside, Basis, Sr.

The captain and central base excel in elite skills and pyramid stunts. As a tumbler, Salazar performs a rounding tuck and a standing handover.

Olivia Salmon, Mount Sinai, Main Base, Sr.

The 2023 Newsday All-Long Island first teamer is a two-time county and state champion who performs advanced stunts and tumbling routines.

Jessica Scardino, Ward Melville, Basis, Jr.

The super elite base performs stunt skills in the air and on the ground. Scardino is also a three-time county champion (two Game Day one Competitive) and state champion in Game Day (2024) and Competitive (2023).

Victoria Sepulveda, Division, Flyer, Jr.

Sepulveda is an infectious performer who dazzles on the mat and in the air with super elite skills.

Alexis Sewer, Freeport, Backspot, Jr.

The captain and four-year member performs all the super-elite stunts and tumbles at the highest level, but her most impactful skill is her infectious energy.

Evangeline Sherman, West Babylon, Main Base, Sr.

The five-year center is known for her elite stunt and tumbling abilities and was a Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection last season.

Brianna Sidoti, Seaford, Jr. Flyer

Sidoti is not only a graceful and controlled flyer, but also competes with super-elite tumbling skills. She is also a three-time county and two-time state champion.

Olivia Snyder, West Babylon, Backspot, Sr.

Snyder was part of the defending Competitive Class B Suffolk championship squad and began her five-year career as a pilot. Since then, she has become an exceptional back player and has mastered elite tumbling skills.

Kayla Spisto, Wantagh, Basic/Flyer, Sr.

The elite flyer will also shine in the side starting position this season. Spisto has competed with a full running layout for the past three seasons.

Mia Stimac, Division, Main Base, Jr.

The captain and four-year varsity member returned from an ACL injury midway through last season to perform strong tumbling skills and help the Division capture its first Class B Competitive State title.

Shelby Tell, Clarke, Backspot, Sr.

She performs many elite skills as a backspot, including inversions, switching and turning skills, and can perform one-person mixed-style skills. Tell also competes with a standing tuck and full tuck.

Milan Telfair, Smithtown East, Main Base, Sr.

The four-year member and captain performs super-elite stunt skills including a round-off back handspring format.

Kelsey Vargas, Patchogue-Medford, Back, Sr.

Vargas is an experienced tumbler and stunter who can perform multiple tumbling passes, including tucks and layups.

Kaitlyn Varriale, Oceanside, Flyer, Sr.

The captain and mid-flyer excels in elite skills, including 180 switch-ups, back handspring to fulls and rounding to fulls.

Madison Williams, Comsewogue, Sr., side base

The four-year member and captain will add a round-off back handspring this season that fully complements her tumbling skills.