MARION, Ind. - Grace's cheer team competed for a historic first time over the weekend at the Wildcat Invitational.

It marked the first time a Grace cheer squad entered the realm of competitive cheer in an exhibition setting.

Grace, who is coached by Jessica Durando, competed for the first time on Friday night. They produced a strong score of 77.08, finishing ninth out of 11 squads.

The Lancers continued to improve as the tournament went on. Grace competed in two more rounds on Saturday, steadily reaching new highs.

In Saturday morning's round, Grace scored a 78.37. They beat five other collegiate teams, placing 11th out of 16.

The Lancers saved their best for last. In the final round of the tourney, Grace erupted for a score of 80.23 (with no deductions). The score placed seventh out of 12 teams, beating three Crossroads League teams in the process.

Next up, the Lancers will compete in its second meet at the Trojan Invitational on Feb. 23, hosted by Taylor.