Photo | Paul Adkins

The entire Cheeriffic All-Star cheerleading team poses for a photo recently. The Cheeriffic Mini Level 1 and Youth Level 1 teams were crowned national champions over the weekend.

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The waiting game is now over.

The Logan-based Cheeriffic All-Star youth cheerleading team had finished up their 2012-13 season back in April with a super national event in Indiana.

But it wasn’t really over as Cheeriffic waited on the final “Spirit Rankings.”

To the laymen, the Spirit Rankings are the final national rankings in U.S. Cheer.

Two of Cheeriffic’s teams — the Mini 1 and the Youth Level 1 teams — were ranked No. 1 in the country after three of the five national events were complete.

Last weekend, the final two events were held in Providence, R.I., and Virginia Beach, Va.

Cheeriffic coaches Heather Bryant, Brittney Hartman and Teresa Bryant were crossing their fingers as the final scores from Rhode Island and Virginia trickled in.

Would the girls in black in pink hold on?

The answer?

Yes.

As it turned out, both Cheeriffic teams held on to first place and claimed national championships.

The Cheeriffic Mini Level 1 team ended up first place out of 84 total teams to win the national title.

Cheeriffic’s Youth Level 1 team also stayed No. 1 out of 88 total teams and were crowned national champs as well.

It was the second straight year all-star cheerleading teams from Cheeriffic had claimed national titles. Last year, the Cheeriffic Tiny and Mini teams were national title winners at season’s end.

The two other Cheeriffic squads also ended up finishing strong in the final Sprit Rankings.

The Youth Level 2 team ended up national runner-up in its division which was made up of 98 teams from across the United States. The Cheeriffic Mini Level 2 squad was sixth in the nation out of 19 total teams.

As national champions, the girls of Cheeriffic will receive custom made national championship rings and will also get championship pants.

The two national titles were the icing on the cake for an outstanding all-star season which saw Cheeriffic teams claim nine super national titles. One Cheeriffic team also won a UCA international championship back in March in Orlando, Fla., in an event which attracted 450 squads from all over the nation and the world, including teams from Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Colombia, Chile and Costa Rica.

Heather Bryant said it was an honor to have two of her teams win national titles again.

“What a wonderful way to end the season,” she said. “All year long I have strived to instill in these girls to dream it, believe it and achieve it and that nothing is impossible with God. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with these hard working, dedicated and talented girls. Over the season, I have watched these girls drive to win increase and it amazes me. We train them to be the best and accept nothing less of themselves. They understand that they devote hours upon hours for a routine that lasts two minutes and 30 seconds. There are no second chances in this sport. We teach them that they are not just ‘cheerleaders’ but they are ‘champions.’

“And to be a champion you have to give a 110 percent all the time. These girls have reached goals this year that I thought were unreachable. They never seize to amaze me. The looks on their faces when they nail a routine is priceless.”

Hartman said the Cheeriffic girls have worked very hard to reach such a high level of competition.

“As many of our parents have stated, ‘talk is cheap, but winning is priceless,’” Hartman said. “Not only are our teams extremely talented, they also have good morals and are great role models. The way they perform so well under pressure is astonishing to not only me but all of their family and fans. These girls are cool, calm and collected right before they go on that competition mat. The girls are so full of confidence the few seconds before they perform. I couldn’t be more proud of these girls and the accomplishments that they have received from the very beginning of the season all the way to the end. We always put the outcome of every competition in God’s hands and that is why we are truly blessed with these great achievements.”

Teresa Bryant said she knew the competition would be very difficult this season but the Cheeriffic teams were able to rise to the occasion.

“I knew going into this competition that we would be up against the best of the best and there would be some stiff competition,” she said. “In my mind I kept thinking it’s impossible, it’s risky, but the scripture kept coming to me, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ — Philippians 4:13. As the teams were preparing for their final destination I saw unity and love from the coaches, parents and girls. They came together with one goal to be the best they could be and I’m very proud of the Cheeriffic team.”

Cheeriffic wrapped up its season last month in Indianapolis at one of the five U.S. Finals events, winning three first-place titles.

The girls competed in six states this season in Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Cheeriffic’s Mini 1 team finished ahead of second-place Cheer Tyme All-Stars of Decatur, Ga., in the final Spirit Rankings. Third were the Cheer Command Rockets team of Mokena, Ill. The X-Cel Athletics team of Chesterland, Ohio, was fourth. In fifth place was the Victory Academy Lions squad of Bloomington, Ill.

In the final Youth Level 1 rankings, Cheeriffic won first place over the Cheer Tyme All-Stars of Decatur, Ga. The Terre Haute All-Stars Cheer University squad of Indiana was third place. In fourth were the Cheer Universe Shooting Stars team of Hagerstown, Md. The Lima Rebels of Lima, Ohio, took fifth.

In the final Youth Level 2 rankings, the Terre Haute All-Star Cheer University team was declared co-national champion with the Fire and Ice All-Stars of West Miffin, Pa., as the two teams tied for first place. The Cheeriffic team was third place and national runner-ups. Fourth place was the USA All-Stars of Stafford, Va. Planet Cheer of Lewiston, Maine, was fifth.