Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Adamson University swooped down on its unsuspecting competition and pulled off a stunning title win in the UAAP Season 80 cheerdance competition Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Dancing to the groove of the 80s, the Adamson Pep Squad thwarted National University’s bid for a five-peat and bagged its first cheerdance championship.
Head coach Jeremy Lorenzo, who was part of the Adamson Pep Squad from 2007 to 2012, said he was at a loss for words when they were announced as the winners of the competition.
READ: Adamson turns long-time frustrations into UAAP Cheerdance bronze
“When it was announced that we won the gold, I told myself ‘Lord is this even real? Can You please wake me up?’” said Lorenzo. “I was speechless and I didn’t know what I would think of this.”
Adamson Pep Squad had an impeccable dance routine that it complemented with differing lifts and tosses that blended perfectly with VST & Company’s laid-back disco music.
Adamson Pep Squad is the 2017 UAAP Cheerdance Champions! Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
The high point of the routine was when the champions divided into six lifts that ended in perfectly timed scorpions.
“After we went with the Polynesian theme last year, I wanted to come up with a routine that was inspired by original Filipino music and the most iconic would be VST & Company,” said Lorenzo. “It’s now how intense or serious your theme is, it’s about how you win hearts and that was our motto at Adamson.”
Adamson Pep Squad, which also made history last year by making it to the podium for the first time in 16 years, had a big lead at no. 1 with 663.50 points.
READ: NU Pep Squad bags fourth straight UAAP Cheerdance gold
“Last year was our stepping stone when we finished third, so we really molded the kids to have the discipline in every aspect, spiritually, mentally, physically, and academically,” said Lorenzo.
“We had some mild errors, we’re all human we make mistakes. As athletes, however, we try to be perfect in every way.”
University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe returned to the podium and bagged the silver medal with 638.50 points
University of the East Pep Squad also came up with a shocker and finished second-runner up, collecting 634.50 points.
NU Pep Squad, meanwhile, fell out of the top three for the first time in five years while the returning UP Pep Squad also did not make it to the podium.
READ: UP Pep Squad skips 2016 UAAP Cheerdance competition
The four-peat champions were tied with the Far Eastern U Pep Squad at fourth place with 610.50 points while the UP Squad came in next with 575.50 points.
DLSU Animo Squad and Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion occupied the bottom two slots with 567.50 and 558.50 points, respectively.
Adamson also took the podium in the Group Stunts category winning the silver with UP taking the bronze and FEU copping the gold.