The buzz on the mat was strong. It always is during the Zippy’s Cheerleading State Championships.

Afterward, there were hugs everywhere along with photos, smiles and congratulations. Especially congratulations.

Where else would you hear a high school-age fan from Campbell say to a competitor from the medium division-winning Kamehameha-Maui squad, "I don’t know you, but congratulations."

And then a hug. By strangers. And it wasn’t one bit awkward.

This event is about cheer, after all. Good cheer.

Great cheer, in actuality, if you stop to consider the winning routines by the Warriors from the Valley Isle and large-division champion Radford at Blaisdell Arena on Saturday.

"They wanted it and they fought for it," said Kamehameha-Maui coach Kealii Molina, whose squad has now won at states two years in a row. "The warm-ups were a little shaky, but they wound up pulling it off. They know how to do it. They love being in front of crowds."

While holding the huge team trophy, Warriors senior captain Halia Kekuewa talked about chemistry as the biggest ingredient in the win.

"It was really easy for all of us to work together," she said. "It was a really big thing for us to represent our island last year and coming back and showing that we can do it again is even better."

The Warriors scored 350.75 points to top 10 other schools in the medium division.

Kaiser, which beat Radford for the OIA title last week, placed second with 339.50 points, their highest showing ever at states.

"I’m definitely proud of our team, and we have a young team," Cougars coach Kela Grubbs said. "We have five freshmen as well as two sophomores who hadn’t cheered before."

Travis Thomason, a Kaiser team training assistant, said, "The OIA championship gave them a taste of success and now they have a solid foundation."

Moanalua placed third.

Radford gave coach Bo Frank a great going-away present by winning the large-division title for the fourth year in a row. Frank also previously coached the Rams to six medium-division wins.

Frank is leaving his post after 15 seasons to spend more time with his family, which includes sons ages 4 and 7.

"We were on point today with a difficult routine, great stumbling sequences and stunting," Frank said. "We put together a good, full routine."

Frank made sure to mention the toil the team puts in each year.

"It takes dedication and hard work to get to the level they’re at," he added.

The Rams (331 points) were coming off a second-place finish to Kaiser at the OIA championships, and that gave them the impetus for Saturday’s title run.

"We put our best out there," said captain Tashea Murakami, a four-year performer for the Rams. "We were just determined to make a stronger push after losing the OIAs. That motivated us."

Waiakea placed second in the large division with 319 points, followed by Mililani (304) in third.

Frank’s reflected on the growth of the sport right after coaching his last competition.

"Cheerleading has come a long way since (the first state tournament in 2002)," he said. "In the first two years, the judges looked at style. Now it’s based on skill and the scoresheet is based on that, and it takes the subjectivity out of it."

ZIPPY’S CHEERLEADING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 

Saturday
At Blaisdell Arena
Large Division

1. Radford, 331.00; 2. Waiakea 319.00; 3. Mililani 304.75; 4. Baldwin 292.25; 5. Farrington 290.25.

Medium Division

1. Kamehameha-Maui 350.75; 2. Kaiser 339.50; 3. Moanalua 338.75; 4. Campbell 324.75; 5. Kamehameha 322.75.