Sara Kane, who returned to school with her Upper Perkiomen cheerleading teammates at 6:45 a.m. Monday, completed her half-day of school on an adrenaline high.

        "I feel so good about myself and our team," she said.

        On Sunday, the team won the varsity coed division title at the Cheer Ltd. Nationals at Canam event in Myrtle Beach, SC.

        "What they did is pretty amazing," head coach Kristen Funk said.

        The next afternoon, during a homeroom period, they were honored during a previously scheduled assembly in the gymnasium to celebrate students participating in extra-curricular activities. The team's 22 members, along with Funk, took a bow at half court.

        "This is an unbelievable feeling," Kane said after the event. "I have to keep pinching myself. We've worked so hard for this for four years. I've been dreaming about winning this for six years. It's a surreal feeling."

        The squad received its trophy and medals at 7 p.m. Sunday, and was on the road home from the South Carolina island an hour later, according to Funk.

        Rob Carpenter, principal of the high school, said the cheerleaders' national championship demonstrates the dedication and hard work the squad put forth this season.

        "What they did is awesome," he said Monday afternoon.

        The Indians beat out two other teams in their class, one from New York and the other from North Carolina, to earn their title. According to Funk, the unit of two boys and 20 girls displayed a high level of athleticism, the ability to work together and serve as ambassadors for their school.

        "This group has shown that they are about so much more than cheer ability," she said.

        She said the group, a collection of students from multiple social circles in the school, which cheers for the football and basketball teams, utilized acrobatic and gymnastic skills, as well as physical strength and showmanship to excel in competition.

        According to Kane, the accomplishment brought the squad a measure of adulation. According to senior Ronald Bauer, the unit is starting to garner the respect it deserves.

        "I think some people now take us seriously," Kane said. "They understand what we accomplished and how hard we worked."

        The squad, which qualified for the most recent event through a video submission, has made significant strides since Funk became the head coach four years ago. She said the team used to be insecure in performances.

        "The students on this team turned themselves into athletes," said Funk, a former cheerleader and coach at Quakertown High School.

        In retrospect, Kane – a four-year member of the squad – said the team lacked the necessary strength and passion during her freshman season.

        "We've come such a long way," she said.

        According to Funk, this year's routine featured traditional cheerleading, the performance of elite- level stunts, such as tossing, flipping and catching, and a dance routine.

        She said the squad utilized a progressive skill-building process, accomplished through hours and hours of practice, to help avoid injuries.