The Tigerettes dance team made their competition season debut on Saturday Oct. 10th at the Clackamas High School Competition. After a tough week of midterms and sickness; a long week of practice and a football halftime performance, the team met at Tigard High to board the bus at 6:30 a.m. With their goals set high, the team walked into Clackamas High School with poise and confidence.

The first round began at 11:30 a.m. and the Tigerettes were competing in the first category, large jazz. Their jazz routine is a fierce number to Miley Cyrus’ song, “Can’t be Tamed,” this was their motto for this season. The Tigerettes had been working on this routine since August, with intentions to beat their rival, Pendleton’s Rhythmic Mode. During the first round, the Tigerettes also competed in the large pom division against Lincoln High School and Cleveland High School. The team had only been working on their pom routine for two weeks and  they were the very last team to compete. Shortly after they left the floor the awards were handed out.

During awards the Tigerettes clenched their teammates hands, heads bowed down, repeatedly whispering “don’t say Tigard” when the third and second teams were announced. The Tigerettes received first place out of eight teams in large jazz, they received a score of 82.78, beating the second place team Pendleton by five points. The Tigerettes also won in the large pom division with a score of 80.22 after a one point deduction.

After the first round, the Tigerettes were exhausted and hungry but they still had one more routine to focus the rest of their energy on. With the chance to beat Pendleton twice in the same day the Tigerettes put on the “Imagine” costumes from 2008 when they won a state championship. Their lyrical routine was choreographed to “Run to You” by Whitney Houston. After an emotional and heartfelt performance the Tigerettes ended their night with their third first place trophy of the day in the large lyrical division with a score of 80.11.

It was a successful day of competition for the Tigerettes and they look forward to competing their fall routines again next Saturday at Scappoose High School.