BLACKFOOT — The Blackfoot High School cheerleaders are heading to the state competition later this month after sweeping their district championship with top scores in all three routines.

The team dominated the Feb. 7 district competition at Bonneville High School, taking first place in show, pom and sideline routines — no small feat in what coach Heather Grimmett calls one of the state’s most competitive cheer districts.

“It felt great to see their hard work pay off,” Grimmett said. “The cheerleading season is a long battle. It starts in the summer when we learn our routines.”

The team of 29 girls will compete in the state championship Feb. 28 at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls. Each of the three routines features 24 competitors, with all team members participating in at least one event. Six seniors are among the competitors.

“Our goal was to win a district championship and a state championship,” Grimmett said. “Hopefully we’ll do the same at state.”

Grimmett said she’s excited the state competition will be held in Idaho Falls this year, allowing more Blackfoot High School students to attend and support the team.

“Being able to represent our community is fun,” she said. “Getting to have a lot more people attend and see what the competition is all about will be exciting.”

Beyond the competitive achievements, Grimmett said watching the friendships between team members grow throughout the season has been the most rewarding part of coaching.

“We do a lot of fun activities and go on retreats,” she said. “Just seeing the friendships that they make throughout the year is pretty incredible.”