The Purrfections showed off their jazz and pom routines in the Contest of Champions at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Saturday. The team was scheduled to compete jazz at 5:45 p.m. and pom later at 9:40 p.m. Awards are not to be announced until the ceremony late Sunday night.

“We’re not sure exactly how we’re going to place,” said sophomore Lauren Novak. “Even Coach April [Shaw] is a little stumped. Our scores are in the 90s, which is a nice first for us as a team. Awards should be over by midnight or so.”

In the dancers’ opinion, their jazz performance was fairly average. Not their worst, but definitely not their best. The team was overall disappointed with the amount of energy it displayed on the floor.

“In our first performance we did not feel like it was our best by any means,” said freshman Bella Stazzone. “We were proud of a great season for that routine overall, but with little crowd we felt almost no energy, so it could have gone better.”

Unexpected due to the late hours, the team’s pom performance was the total opposite. The dancers gave it all they had knowing that this was the last chance of the year for them to compete on stage together. Novak mentioned that it seemed as if every aspect of the routine was nearly perfect. The counts, lifts, turns, and facial expressions.

“Pom was a whole new ball game,” Novak said. “We circled up as a team before competing, each of us fully aware that this would be the last time performing in the entire season. The seniors were trying to hold back tears and channel the emotions into rocking the routine. When the music started, we knew we had to hit everything with facials and crazy energy.”

The girls made a point that their competition was impressive and brought their A game. But the team still knows and hopes it can come out near the top. Either way, the Purrfections are grateful for a wonderful final performance and season.

“We made Coach Stephanie [Shaw] cry tears of joy,” Novak said. “I am proud of all my girls regardless of what place we get.”

By Macie Goldfarb