The cheerleading squad includes (from left): front — Kayla Salmon and Tatum Perreira-Aquino; second row — Harry Moses Flores; third row — Christine Chung and Hanna Hongo; fourth row — Keonani Kahaleauki; and fifth row — Yelani Jacob and Michele Arzaga. Samara Cook and Joslyn Villon are not pictured.

LAHAINA — The community support of Lahainaluna High School’s athletic teams is a vital cog in the success of the programs, and that tradition of championship efforts at the iconic West Side school is led by the Luna cheerleading squad.

Currently in her fourth year leading the cheer team, head coach Mary Ann Corpuz is joined by Marilyn Valencia, Ronalyn Cabida and Stacy Vinoray in guiding the Lunas’ support effort this year.

Coach Corpuz lends an experienced hand with over ten years of working the youth club teams and encouraged the kids to continue that effort to the high school level.

“I wanted the kids to cheer for high school in hopes they would have the same experience I had. It’s hard work for sure, because cheer is always evolving skill-wise, but there’s the pride, spirit and tradition that I feel we as cheerleaders are keepers of,” explained Corpuz.

In 2019, the Lahainaluna team took second at the Maui Interscholastic League cheerleading competition and fourth at the Medium Division at states. At the Aloha Cheer Academy, Lahainaluna was third in both the Varsity and Junior Varsity Divisions.

The team roster for 2021 includes juniors Samara Cook, Harry Moses Flores, Hanna Hongo, Tatum Perreira-Aquino, Kayla Marie Salmon and Joslyn Villon; sophomores Christine Chung, Yelani Jacob and Keonani Faye Kahaleauki; and freshman Michelle Arazaga.

Coach Corpuz expressed the team’s heartfelt mahalo to Athletic Directors Scott Soldwisch and Jon Conrad, and she added that Lahainaluna will be hosting the MIL Cheerleading competition for the first time next month.

The team also thanked the Lahainaluna Foundation/Sentry Tournament of Champions, Times Supermarket for the Huli Huli chicken fundraiser, Valencia Construction, Maui Cheer All Stars, Kids Zone Maui, Hawaii All Stars, Aloha Cheer Academy, High Intensity Athletics, Stacey Vinoray Realtor/Broker, and the Lahainaluna Band.

“The pandemic stung in many ways and left us uncertain in many ways, but being back brings back a sense of normalcy and structure. We’re focused on building a strong foundation within the basic fundamentals of cheer and keep the pride and spirit burning for when our community and student body unite again under the stadium lights and all Imua — move forward together,” Coach Corpuz concluded.