Wawasee won the 2016 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Competition Friday night. Pictured, in front from left, are, Lyric Lambright, Jenna Coy, head coach Chelsea Coy, Kellie Newcomer, Taylor Meek, Kyndall Fisher, Veronica Valencia, Sarah Weaver, Amaya Rhodes, Olivia Long and Ellsie Bowman. In the back, Kelsey Doss, Kalynn Workman, Siera Littlejohn, Cali Willaman, Katrina Konieczny, Jada Parzygnot, Julie Bell and Nataleigh Friedrich. (Photo provided)

ELKHART — The 2016-17 sports season got started the right way for Wawasee athletics. The Wawasee cheer team won the 2016 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Cheer Competition Friday night, knocking off defending champion NorthWood in the process.

The ladies had a no-fall routine to unseat NorthWood while Fairfield took third. The accomplishment was a big one for Wawasee as this was the first year the team was able to participate in the competition division. Last July the Warriors took first in the spirit division.

“The girls did so well today,” remarked first-year head coach Chelsea Coy. “They have worked so hard to have a good routine and I could not have been more proud. The had so much fun out there and really sold their routine.

“We came to win today and that exactly what we did. I am so excited to be working with this group of girls this season and really could not ask for more.”

The competition is just the first for Coy and the Warriors. Now the team will set its sights on Purdue for the “Get On Track” competition in early October, which is a warm up, of sorts, for the state qualifier near the end of October.