Reason to cheer

Marysville Getchell cheerleaders Farrah Wolgamott (left) and John Williams Jr., both seniors, perform a group cheer with cheerleaders from Lindbergh High School during their opening game Sept. 1 at Renton Memorial Stadium.

Lost in the hullabaloo around the first varsity football game in Marysville Getchell’s short history Thursday night against Lindbergh were the “other” performers making their debut. The 12 Charger cheerleaders were out in full force, showing off their new green, black and gold duds and screaming their lungs off before the opening kickoff.

Like the athletic teams the MG cheer squad is full of girls — and one guy (that’s him, John Williams Jr., above) — with no varsity experience; some with no prior cheer experience. Seniors Farrah Wolgamott (above, left) and Esther Yun were elected captains and the duo have spent a lot of time and energy differentiating the squad from its neighbors at Marysville Pilchuck.

“We wanted to do something different from MP because we didn’t want to carry their traditions to our school,” Yun said. Many of the squad have different backgrounds from other cheer teams that are often full of members that have been cheering for years or have worked their way up from freshman and JV cheer teams. Wolgamott has been involved in ASB in the past and thought cheering would be a great compliment to the leadership skills she learns in student government.

“I like being a leader and plus the uniforms are cute,” Wolgamott said. Prior to the game against Lindbergh Wolgamott and Yun had to calm the cheer squad down so they wouldn’t use up all their energy before the game began. Though they didn’t get to cheer the team’s first score, the Chargers cheer squad will surely be ready when the team makes it into the end zone for the first time.

The series: Herald photographers take a look at Friday night life outside the chalk lines of the gridiron. Join them each week for a look at the people who make the Friday football experience possible without ever catching a pass or running the ball in for a touchdown. Have a good idea for Sidelines? Email Jennifer Buchanan at jbuchanan@heraldnet.com.