No better feeling than Game Day! The Ward Melville varsity coed cheerleading team is back on the mat this winter, pulling out all the stops to put on a well-rounded game day routine.
The Patriots are members of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and compete in Class A. The team is led by 9/10th year head coach Georgia Curtis. She’s joined on the mat by assistant coach Maggie Hurley. The duo has helped lead the Patriots to a list of titles during their tenure at the helm.
In short, the Patriots have won the Game Day County title in ‘23, ‘24, & ‘25. They won the Traditional County and State Titles in ‘24 & ‘25. They won the Game Day State title in ‘24. They’re eight-time UCA National finalists, and they came in second place in the 2025 UCA in the small school coed game day division. Most recently, they competed at Newsday’s annual Cheerfest on January 11th and took home first place.
“I think we’ve all just been growing, not only physically, but we like to focus on our mental mindset too. I do a lot of restorative circles and how to better their mindset for when they’re about to perform. It’s a lot of pressure because in other sports, they get a whole game. If they make a mistake, they can make up for it later in the game. I feel like there’s more wiggle room, whereas cheerleading, it’s either three minutes for game day or two minutes and 30 seconds for competition,” said Curtis.
Cheerleading is a competitive sport revolving around routine. The art of perfecting a routine is something the Patriots have gotten quite good at, with their extensive trophy case being the proof of that.
“So there’s four different aspects: there’s fanchant, sideline, cheer, and fight songs. We kind of break it down, little by little. We warm it up quick, we go fill out, and we focus on technique wise, how you’re hitting your motions, energy, those types of things for them. Three minutes doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you’re yelling, and you’re going for three minutes straight, it could take a toll, so we do endurance a lot too,” said Curtis.
The Pats have 12 seniors set to graduate this spring after putting in the hard work and being well-rewarded for their efforts. The seniors are: Ian Licavoli, Kiera Riddle, Kaylee Murphy, Sasha Dabrowski, Juliet Brittman, Abby Stabile, Mattea Shank, Londyn Marks, Jessica Scardino, Olivia Riegel, Ashlynne Cicero, and Kate Biondi. Of the 12 seniors, Murphy, Dobrowski, Brittman, Licavoli, Scardino, and Riegel are all team captains.
“They’ve made their legacy. I get so emotional talking about it because some of them I’ve coached for four years now, and they grew up on the varsity mat. It’s just so nice to see not only the athlete that they’ve become, but the person, too. They’re all just so special in their own ways, and they bring something different to the team that’s so positive. We’re all very family-oriented, I always say before we compete, “defend this family, protect his family” because that’s really what it is. When they graduate, they’ll always be a patriot, they’ll always be a part of Ward Melville, and they know that. Alumni come back all the time, I told them they have to,” an emotional Curtis told The Messenger.
A handful of Patriots received Game Day awards for their efforts on the mat this season. Kiera Riddle received the Game Day All-Class award, Sasha Dabrowski received the Academic Game Day All-County award, Ian Licavoli, Jessica Scardino, and Kaylee Murphy received All- County Honors. Head coach Georgia Curtis was named Section XI Class A Coach of the Year. Jessica Scardino was awarded a Section XI Game Day Scholarship as well. Ian Licavoli, a base for the Patriots, was also named to Newsday’s Top 50 Cheerleaders.
“We always say that we fight for family, we defend family, and we trust each other. As a team over the past 4 years we have accomplished things that have never been done before within our program and that’s all because we work so hard together, we build that bond with each other, and it really shines when we take the mat and makes our performances even better,” said Senior captain Sasha Dabrowski.
The leadership Ward Melville varsity cheerleading has is special, their passion and dedication to representing the Patriots is unmatched. A few members of the squad told The Messenger what it means to be a Patriot in their eyes.
“To us, being a Patriot means representing our family with pride on and off the mat. Every time we take the competition floor, we remind one another that it’s each other that’s going to get us through the performance. Knowing the person next to you is right there to support you makes all the difference when it comes to relieving pressure during performances. The relationships and bonds formed through this program are ones that will last far beyond our seasons, and to me, that is something truly special,” said Senior Captain Jessica Scardino.
“Since the start of my freshman year me and my teammates have built up this program from the bottom to top by our constant grind, drive, and passion. A patriot comes with a lot of expectations that you have to live up to, but it is such a privilege to be apart of something so special,” said Senior Captain Juliet Brittman.
“To be a patriot is to be a leader, someone who shows up unconditionally for themselves and their teammates. Being a patriot has been so rewarding and is truly built off of trust, teamwork and ultimately a shared love for the sport of cheerleading,” said Senior Captain Kaylee Murphy.
“Something that inspires me being on this team is that I got the privilege to look up to my teammates at a time, and now i get to guide and teach my teammates,” said Olivia Riegel.
