By Skylar Cochran

For the Forsyth County News

Cheerleaders were back on the floor Saturday as the North Forsyth Cheer Classic kicked off the competition season.

The three-hour competition featured JV and varsity cheer squads from Forsyth County, Hall County and Paulding County.

The North Forsyth arena roared with applause as dozens of high school cheerleaders performed in hopes of reaching state championships. Due to COVID-19, a few cheerleaders were missing during the competition. However, spotters, flyers, and tumblers all continued to perform to the best of their ability.

Forsyth Central took home the first-place trophy in the COED cheer division. Three Forsyth County cheer teams won trophies in the Class 7A division. South Forsyth placed first, followed by Lambert in second and West Forsyth in third.

“I think the kids did amazing,” Forsyth Central fill-in coach and director of cheer Kate Collins said. “We’ve had a lot of things getting thrown at us between COVID, injuries, but I think they did an amazing job. They put it all out on the mat and I’m excited to see how they do the rest of the season.”

“I was really excited,” South Forsyth head coach Shayla Brawner said. “The first competition is always a combination of nerves and excitement. I was expecting them to have fun and put on a show for the entire arena today. I’m proud.”