SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Love’s dream realized
Dejai Love had always wanted to be a cheerleader, and last week Bowie High School cheerleaders granted her that wish.
Love is a ninth-grader at BHS who suffers from Down Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that’s associated with physical growth delays and distinguished facial features.
“We try to involve as many kids as possible,” said BHS cheer sponsor Nicole Jordan. “I think it’s important for everyone to be included because they are part of the school spirit.”
Love wanted to be a cheerleader for Halloween, and she was all decked out for the BHS pep rally and the game against Paradise.
Jordan said she had an old uniform Love could wear, and she performed well.
“Dejai did great,” Jordan said. “She did great in practice on Thursday and Friday, and she knew the cheers. She kept up the whole game.”
Love stays in Brooke Hunter’s self-contained classroom at the high school where she learns life skills.
The moment touched Amy Justiss, Love’s mother, so much she wrote a letter to the Bowie cheerleaders.
“Today, you made a little girl’s dream come true,” Justiss said. “She has always wanted to cheer, and since she is special needs no one would let her join their team.”
Justiss said Love enjoys watching the cheerleaders and mascot.
“Watching her (Dejai), I couldn’t help but cry, her smile from ear to ear was one I have never seen before,” Justiss said.
Justiss called the cheerleaders heroes for their actions.
“Your parents and teachers should be very proud of you all,” added Justiss, who works in Bridgeport for a monster truck promotion. “Thank you for being kids she can look up to and feel safe with.”
There are scores of videos from both the game and pep rally on Facebook, and Love was spot on with her routines. Read more in the Nov. 5. Bowie News.
Bowie’s Dejai Love (center) cheers during an Oct. 28 game versus Paradise at Jackrabbit Stadium. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Saint Jo hosted its own volleyball tournament Sept. 10-12.
In its first match, the Lady Panthers bested Sam Rayburn in a b est-of-three match 2-1 (25-11, 23-25, 25-14.) In the opener, senior Tatum Morman staked the Lady Panthers to a 4-0 lead with help from Kamron Skidmore and Olivia Johnson kills. The Lady Rebels would come back and tie the game at seven.
Savannah Hill’s kill broke serve and allowed Abby Carter to string together seven points. An ace and a Hill kill helped keep the drive alive. Hill later rolled off six points in a row, helped by two aces, to go up 23-10. Sam Rayburn broke serve but Saint Jo finished the game with a single Morman point.
Sam Rayburn came right out of the gate firing in the second game leading 4-0. A single Carter point, thrown down by a Hill block, and Hill’s four-point skein put the Lady Panthers up 8-6. Sam Rayburn tied the game at eight.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Forestburg’s volleyball team gave visiting Chico a solid test Sept. 8, but the Lady Dragons rebounded from a third-set loss to pull out the 3-1 win (25-23, 25-19, 25-27, 25-19).
The Lady Longhorns got out to a quick start with aces from freshmen Madi Wadsworth and Lacie Shotwell staking the squad to a 4-1 lead in game one. Wadsworth later broke a 4-all tie with a kill.
Addy Conway rolled off four straight points, helped by a Wadsworth kill to give Forestburg an 11-9 lead. Chico took a 16-14 lead but a Brenna Briles ace and Jocelyn Rich’s two points forced Chico into a timeout down 17-19.
The respite worked as it would be Forestburg’s last lead of game one, the Lady ‘Horns not having another serving point.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
After splitting the first two games with Vernon Northside, Bowie’s volleyball team turned things out and wound with a 3-1 match win (25-17, 15-25, 25-17, 25-17).
Molly Enlow used two aces amidst a four-point string to give the Lady Rabbits a 5-1 lead in game one. Senior KP Rutherford’s pair of points extended the lead to 8-3.
Northside cut the deficit to 10-11 before Rutherford’s kill broke serve.
Bella Culwell’s point, aided by an Ellie Mowery kill, put Bowie up 13-10. Northside tied the game at 13 before Rutherford came through with another pair for a 17-14 lead. Lillie Maddox also had a deuce for a 20-15 lead and force a Lady INdian timeout.
Northside broke serve but a Sophie Maddox block and Lillie Maddox three-point string gave the squad game point at 24-16. The squads exchanged side outs to end the game.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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