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Photos by Cathy Riley

Featured pic: The national champion Bridge City Strutters encircle their director Cathy Riley, who was named Outstanding Director by her peers at last week’s American Dance Drill Team Nationals.

For The Record

To call it a successful end of the competitive season would be putting it mildly for the Bridge City Strutters drill team.

At last week’s American Dance Drill Team Nationals at the University of North Texas in Denton, the Strutters put on one championship performance after another.

The team, traveling with only 11 members, competed in the “extra small” category and won blue ribbons for their team, duet and officers’ performances and director Cathy Riley was named Outstanding Director.

They also won the Academic national championship, based on grade point averages.

”We won national championships in three categories, and they had top scores, so they won their division,” Riley said.

“Not bad. Now we’re planning our spring show at Lutcher Theater, May 6. It’s pretty big. I include all the fine arts at the high school.

“It’s not like a dance recital. I call it the best variety show in southeast Texas. And its our [Strutters’] 30^th reunion. Reunion girls will do their thing, too.”

The team took five officers to the event, but only four – junior Mia Woodruff, sophomore Macie Moore, sophomore Jaelyn Nichols, and sophomore Carlee Weeks participated.

Senior Lauren Guidry had to sit out after breaking her foot.

“We have a small team this year, maybe the smallest we’ve had, but we’re growing,” Riley said. “We have 24 [girls] coming up this year, so we’ll go up a category.”

No matter to the officers.

They won national championships in modern, contemporary, and novelty dance.

The officers joined Strutters -- senior Avery Harris, juniors Chelse Cisneros and Madison Esquivel, sophomore Sydney Hanson and freshmen Haley Spikes and Madison Juneau – to win national team championships in novelty and take first runnerup in kick

Additionally, Woodruff and Moore won a national championship in duet and Woodruff was second runnerup in her solo.

Earlier in March, the Strutters won the state championship as well in their category.

Junior Lyvia Ebarb competed with the Strutters at their state competition.