The Mascenic winter spirit team took second place at the NHIAA Division III championships at Pinkerton Academy on Thursday. The Vikings now move on to the New England championships at Worcester State University on Saturday, March 21. 

Mascenic's Kiahna Farrey, left, and Lyla Stauffeneker wrap up the Viking routine.
Mascenic’s Kiahna Farrey, left, and Lyla Stauffeneker wrap up the Viking routine. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

“This season, our main team goal was to hit a routine that we were proud of and get a score we deserved at states,” said Mascenic senior co-captain Lyla Stauffeneker.

Mascenic's Kiahna Farrey hits a pose with some attitude.
Mascenic’s Kiahna Farrey hits a pose with some attitude. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

Mascenic’s routine brought the attitude and the level of difficulty needed to compete at the highest stage, and the Vikings were nearly flawless, save one misstep on a newer stunt that dropped their final score down to an 86. 

“I would say it was one of our better routines,” Stauffeneker said. “There were obviously some imperfections.” 

The Vikings pull off a three-part stunt.
The Vikings pull off a three-part stunt. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
The Vikings pull off a three-part stunt.
The Vikings pull off a three-part stunt. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
The Vikings pull off a three-part stunt.
The Vikings pull off a three-part stunt. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

One mistake in an otherwise excellent routine isn’t always enough to sink championship hopes, but this wasn’t an ordinary winter spirit season for defending champion Mascenic. The Monadnock Huskies, winners of three straight fall spirit titles — the last in Division II — before losing to Pelham in the finals in autumn, made a late bid into winter spirit, rolled their fall routine over to the new season, and ended up with a 98 at the state meet, better than all of DIII and DII, including Pelham. 

The Mascenic cheer team poses with their second-place trophy.
The Mascenic cheer team poses with their second-place trophy. Credit: COURTESY

“Going against Monadnock, they’re just unreal,” Stauffeneker said. “We weren’t’ super confident about winning, but we were confident about what we would show.”

The Vikings showed enough to qualify for this weekend’s New England Championships against the best of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont. Mascenic, again, doesn’t necessarily expect to win, but just making New Englands is an honor, an experience, and a chance for the Viking seniors to run their routine one last time. 

“We just go for fun,” Stauffeneker said. “We made it to New Englands, which is impressive.”

Mascenic's Lyla Stauffeneker has a smile for the judges.
Mascenic’s Lyla Stauffeneker has a smile for the judges. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

The Vikings have taken at least second place at the state meet each of the past five years and won the DIII championship in 2025, a fine legacy for Mascenic’s seniors — co-captain Gabriella Muhonen, Ava Haavisto, and Stauffeneker. 

Mascenic's Gabriella Muhonen tops the pyramid.
Mascenic’s Gabriella Muhonen tops the pyramid. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript