CHARLESTON - After almost four months of delays, the Tug Valley cheerleaders finally got to compete in the 2009 Class AA State Cheerleading Championship Saturday. But not only did they compete, they won the whole thing.

Originally scheduled for Dec. 12, 2009, Tug Valley seemed to be stuck in a never-ending season because of Tolsia High School's highly publicized legal battles with the WVSSAC. Combine that with the long basketball season, horrendous winter weather, and last minute injuries, Tug Valley overcame a lot to bring home their first West Virginia Class AA Cheerleading Championship.

"I think it's the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to us," said Tug Valley's Assistant Cheer Coach Tara Ellis. "we have a had a long road and have had a lot of things and it's just the greatest feeling in the world."

Earlier in the week at a community pep rally for the girls, one of the squad's integral cheerleaders, Brittany Copley, broke her hand while landing a flip during a routine. Unable to compete, freshman alternate Michaella Messer stepped in for Brittany and her team.

Though she had only learned the routine days before, Michaella was confident about her squad. When asked whether she was scared, she simply said, "No. I knew we could do it."

"Michaella saved our lives," continued Ellis. "We taught her a whole routine, a cheer, a dance, and how to be a back-spot in seven hours and that is why it means so much. We could've just not came. We worked so hard for this."

"Nobody was perfect, but I think everybody represented their schools well," said Ellis regarding the competing squads. "Considering the circumstances, every team here did a fantastic job.

"I've always been a huge fan of the runner-up, Liberty High School. I give props to them; I think they're fantastic."

Liberty Harrison High School was last year's Class AA champions and came in second to the Tug Valley Panthers for the 2009 competition. Liberty received a 319.2 from the judges while Tug Valley received a 321.65, just a difference of 2.45 points.

The Panthers last won the Class A championship in 2005 and was runner-up in both the 2006 and 2007 competitions. The 2009 season was their first in the Class AA division.

"The hard work and the pain we went through is nothing compared to this moment," said Tug Valley squad captain, Brandi Davis. "I'm speechless."

"I was worried because we had to throw a whole new routine together in one day," said co-captain Katilyn Canterbury. "We've been working at this since August and it's gone on way too long. I'm just so glad that it's worth it. It's amazing."

"I thought we could do it before but with the delay, I wasn't sure," said co-captain Ashley Hall. "It feels like a dream."

After the win, the team, overcome with emotion, celebrated their hard fought victory with their families and friends and in a great moment of sportsmanship, with the runners-up, the Liberty Harrison High School cheerleaders.

"We put in blood, sweat, and tears," said co-captain Chelsea Oliver. "It was hard; we did our best and we came out state champions. It doesn't feel real."