The Warrenton stunt team tumbled and flipped its way into an impressive inaugural season. 

“It could not have gone better,” coach Natalie Filipek said. “Just being a first-year team in a sport that’s not very common, I really couldn't have asked for more.” 

The Warriors advanced quickly by winning their first-ever game and finishing with a 5-5 season record. Warrenton also finished 4-1 against first-year teams.

“I am very proud of the girls,” Filipek said. “They were extremely resilient throughout the entire season. There were only three games all season where the entire team was there and we were constantly switching people in and out of spots, but they always came in with a positive attitude and a willingness to make changes to do what's best for the team.” 

Despite having no prior experience in the sport, the team hit the ground running. Filipek attributed much of their success to the athletes' backgrounds in cheerleading and the foundational skills developed under the school’s cheerleading coaches. 

“That bond they formed in cheerleading really carried over into stunt,” Filipek said. 

The season began with plenty of learning curves, but the Warriors went from not being able to perform a full routine without falling to executing complex routines with precision. 

“By the end of the season, we were fine tuning and looking for all those little mistakes and making sure we cleaned all those things up,” Filipek said. “Being able to actually look and focus on all of the little things was huge growth.” 

Notable moments from the season included their opening win against Troy Buchanan and standout performances against Battle and Farmington in which the team nearly achieved a perfect score in both contests.

“Troy was a second-year team and we won, which really started our season off on a high note,” Filipek said. “(Against Battle and Farmington), both of those games were a near perfect game, which you just can’t ask for more than that.” 

One of the biggest accomplishments was when the team performed a level five routine during its last game. Performing this routine was special for Filipek, especially since towards the beginning of the season, she just wanted her team to be able to play a full four-quarter game. 

“I’m super proud of them for being able to come in, learn all the routines, master all the skills and perform them well and win points,” Filipek said. 

Filipek praised the team’s courage to try a new sport. 

“Joining a new sport that you don’t know much about and taking that risk and having the bravery to try something new is huge,” Filipek said. “I think a lot of those people who might have been too nervous to try a new sport are going to want to join next year.” 

Filipek also noted the important role the three seniors played. These seniors are Michayla Simmons, Emalyn Turner and Hunter Craven. 

“Even though we only have three seniors, them leaving is going to leave a huge gap and missing piece,” Filipek said. “They were all huge leaders and they were the people who knew all the counts and got everyone on the same page and encouraged their teammates.”