Photo by Bill Allen-NJ Sport/Action Wood-Ridge High School cheerleaders revel in the rhapsody of winning state and national championships, en route to recording their program’s first-ever unbeaten season. Shown below, (front row) left to right: Christina Lapa, Ally Linder, Jacqueline Loparzo, Toni Ann Cauipo and Nicole Derinat. (Back row), left to right: Gabriela Veda, Coach Melisa Zamacho, Coach Jennifer Hynex, Coach Brittany Bielinski and Dana Tattoli.

WOOD-RIDGE (April 2, 2009) — Under head coach Jennifer Hynes, the competition cheerleading contingent from Wood-Ridge High School has become quite a force to be reckoned with, as the Lady Blue Devils earned myriad championships during the program’s first seven seasons under the direction of Hynes.

However, while perfection has always been the program’s goal, few really expected the locals to actually go unbeaten through an entire campaign.

Well, surprise!

Capped off with both a first-place finish at the High Point Award at the Americheer InterNationals at the Milk House at Disneyworld in Orlando, Fla., the Lady Blue Devils did, indeed, complete their best year ever by winning each and every competition that they entered.

The long list of wins for Wood-Ridge includes the following: First place and highest overall score at the Ramapo College Invitational on Jan. 10, in Mahwah; First place and Grand Champions trophy (GCT) at the West Milford Invitational on Jan. 17 at WMHS; First place and GCT at the Saddle Brook Invitational on Jan. 25 at SBHS; First place at the Bishop Ahr Trojan Classic on Jan. 31; First place and top score at the David Brearly Bears Invitational on Feb. 7 at DBHS; First place and highest score at the Cat Town Classic on Feb. 8 at Jackson Liberty High School; First place and GCT at the Garfield Invitational on Feb. 28 at GHS; First place in the All-Music Performance Division at the NJCDCA NJ State Cheerleading Championships on March 1 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton; First place and highest overall score at the Central Jersey All-Stars Invitational on March 7 at the Dunn Center in Elizabeth; First place at the Livingston Jr. Lancers Invitational on March 15 at Livingston Middle School; and, finally, First place, High Point Award, Grand Champions & WOW Choreography Award at Disney World on March 21 and 22 at Disneyworld.

“This was the best year ever for our program,” enthused Hynes. “This was the fourth year WRHS attended the competition. On our first trip, we finished second and got the WOW Choreography Award for best routine. On our second trip, in 2007, we finished first and were named Grand Champions. Last year, during our third trip, we finished second and got the WOW Choreography Award for best routine.

“This year, we finished in first place, got the overall High Point Award (for the best two-day total), the Grand Champions Trophy and another WOW Choreography Award for best routine.”

The W-R cheer roster includes seniors Nicole Bernat, Toniann Caputo, Cristina Lapa, Ally Lindner, Jacqueline Lopardo, Dana Tattoli and Gabriela Vega, juniors Alexa Barreto, Stephanie Telesmanic, and Anni Tovar, sophomores Keri Focarino, Roxanne, Danielle Natoli and Alyson Sharkey and ninth-graders Alysa Aitkens, Aubrey Ardis, Aubrey, Jessica Cody, Daneille DeCarolis, Stephanie Guarino, Julie Lapa, Ashley Lombardi, Kelly Schulz and Johnna Trotter.

A Moonachie native who went to Robert L. Craig Elementary School, before attending Paramus Catholic as a member of the Class of 1992 and then being graduated from Seton Hall University in ‘96, Hynes, whose maiden name is Derevyanik, now lives in Wood-Ridge, was a volunteer coach in the borough’s recreation program for six years, before becoming the high school’s head cheer coach in 2000.

Assisting Hynes this past season were Brittany Zielinski and Melisa Camacho.

A member of the WRHS class of 2004, Zielinski was a Blue Devils cheerleader for four years and was a team captain during her senior season.  She then went on to cheer at Rutgers University where she also was a captain her senior year. She is now in her second year as a Wood-Ridge coach.

Also, a WRHS ‘04 grad, Camacho is in her second year of coaching the Blue Devils, as well. “As the team’s coaches, we are extremely proud of the girls and their of all the hard work that they put in and of the commitment to the program that they’ve demonstrated,” Hynes lauded of her charges, adding, “We attribute our success in large part to the unbelievable support the team receives from family and friends each week as well as the support of the Board of Education, school’s superintendent, administration and faculty. Wood-Ridge High is like a family and that fact helps make for a uniquely memorable experience for the program each and every year.”