At the 25th annual Kiwanis Club statewide cheerleading competition on Saturday, Jan. 26, Salem-area spirit squads earned runners-up trophies – and another chance to hone their routines.

While Pelham recovered from a subpar performance at the fall cheerleading championships to finish runner-up to surprising Bedford in Class I, Salem followed a second-place fall finish to Merrimack with … a second-place finish to Merrimack in Class L.

The Lady Blue Devils had victory in hand, but a five-point safety deduction was levied when one SHS spotter failed to look up with a flier in midair.

Merrimack finished with a 181-177 advantage.

“What can you do? You can’t get mad at the girls. It was a small mistake,” said coach Tracy Berube. “They did so good out there. I couldn’t be mad with whatever place they finished. I mean, how can you be disappointed when you know they couldn’t have done any better?”

Representing Salem were Dyana Aksyonov, Sara Boucher, Stephanie Bromander, Gina Ciambella, Janelle Costigan, Krysten Demirgian, Alanna Ferguson, Chelsea Fields, Ashley Iannalfo, Devin Lawlor, Emily Mahoney, Brittany Mallette, Lisa Nugent, Molly O’Reilly, Emily Speight, Nicolette Tiner and Jordyn Tommasi.

For Pelham coach Vanessa Palmisano, in her first year at the helm, the routine was a return to normal. Her squad’s fall-championship performance fell short of the program’s lofty expectations.

“Night and day. Anybody could tell,” she said. “What didn’t go right? Everything just kind of came together for us out there.”

With only one new cheerleader this season, Palmisano said her squad has been able to come together as one unit and thrive, as evidenced by the Kiwanis showing.

Cheering for Pelham this season are Leah Frisch, Shannon Gallant, Sarah Levi, Briana Bianchi, Kerry Cabral, Stephanie Sharpe, Candice Witkowski, Molly Smith, Kristina Baird, Caity Doherty and Paige Pinksten.

Both coaches agree that, if nothing else, their squads are better prepared for the state championships, which take place March 2 at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore Center in Durham.

“We’re feeling confident,” said Berube. “Obviously, we want to work on some things, but the good thing about Kiwanis is it’s like prep for states. Plus, Kiwanis is just so fun with all the lights and excitement out there.”