THE ATENEO Blue Babble Battalion ended the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Cheerdance Competition at seventh place on Saturday, November 17 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
UAAP Season 81 Cheerdance top 3
Champion: NU Pep Squad
1st runner-up: FEU Cheering Squad
2nd runner-up: Adamson Pep Squad#UAAPCheerdance— James Gavina (@James_TheGUIDON) November 17, 2018
After their four-year reign was interrupted by the Adamson University (AdU) Pep Squad in Season 80, the National University (NU) Pep Squad returned to top the podium this time around. NU was able to pull off a flawless run with zero deductions en route to a 711-point performance.
At second place with 655.5 points is the Far Eastern University (FEU) Cheering Squad who last made an appearance in the top three with another silver medal finish in Season 79. Defending champions AdU Pep Squad rounded up the podium with 638.5 points, beating the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe to a bronze-place finish by just 0.5 points.
Season 80 second runners-up the University of the East (UE) Pep Squad placed fifth with 602.5 points while the University of the Philippines (UP) Pep Squad’s 568.5 points placed them at sixth. With 558 points, the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion finished at seventh place while the De La Salle University (DLSU) Animo Squad dropped to the bottom of the standings with 459.5 points.
The Blue Babble Battalion’s routine was changed a few days prior to the competition due to a wrist injury sustained by flyer Thea Banson. Despite this, the team was able to pull off a smooth and safe routine.
Ateneo tallied a total of 558 points with only nine deductions and penalties. The Blue and White ranked seventh in dancing and tumbling with 316.5 points and 62.5 points, respectively. Stunts were a strong aspect of the Battalion’s routine as they accumulated 77 points to finish placed fifth. In the tosses and pyramids categories, Ateneo ranked at seventh, with tosses garnering a measly 47 points and pyramids earning them 64 points.
BREAKING: @AteneoBabble finish off their best performance in five years with a 7th place finish!
Via @ompongski #UAAPCheerdance pic.twitter.com/F6fDJFyEnt
— James Gavina (@James_TheGUIDON) November 17, 2018
“[We’ve] really been working hard for it since the moment we lost last year,” said Coach Jacqueline Alolor-Alota of today’s result. Since their fifth-place finish in Season 75, the Katipunan-based side has been stuck at the bottom of the standings.
“This year, we landed top-seven and that’s a big achievement,” reiterates Coach Alolor-Alota who hopes for further improvements next season.
