AUGUSTA — There are two ways to reach the Class C championship round in competition cheerleading.

Play it safe, don’t make too many glaring mistakes and squeak your way into the top six. Or put on a show, ramp up the level of risk and send your score through the roof, even if you fall short of perfection.

Monmouth Academy didn’t hold anything back and was rewarded with a Western Maine championship Saturday night at Augusta Civic Center.

“We have quite a bit of difficulty in our routine,” Monmouth senior Alison Murphy said. “Everybody when they’re out on the floor, doing our routine, we just sell the crap out of it. We put our all into everything.”

The Mustangs’ all was more than enough for a comfortable victory, 116.4 points to 106.2, over Livermore Falls.

This was one of those instances where every tear from the runner-up — and many flowed — were saturated with joy.

Livermore Falls celebrated its third consecutive trip to the state meet (Feb. 12, Bangor Auditorium).

“We just wanted to get to states,” proclaimed the Andies’ Ashley Hamilton.

“We’ve been there the past two years,” clarified teammate Ashley Sidney, “but it’s the first time we’re done this well in Western Maine, ever. We have eight seniors, and we all love each other.”

Fellow seniors Adrienne Alley, Caitlin Beairsto, Tori Fournier, Samantha Ouellette, Kassandra Shackley and Amanda Robbins also are longtime pupils of Dianna Pomerleau, who started coaching at the AYS level 12 years ago and has led the high school program for the last four seasons.

“They all lead the team very well with dedication and hard work,” Pomerleau said.

St. Dom’s (third, 102 points) and Jay (fourth, 100.4) also advanced to the state round along with Madison and Boothbay.

States are familiar territory for Monmouth, which owns eight championships in Classes C and D dating back to 1994.

“It’s a tough routine. It takes a lot out of us,” said Mustangs senior Brittnie Weymouth. “We felt pretty confident about it. But it was very nerve-wracking watching all the other teams do as well.”

koakes@sunjournal.com