Eaves to cheer at Mississippi State

Sikeston senior Emily Eaves (center) will be cheerleading for Mississippi State University next year after making the squad last weekend. (David Jenkins, Staff)

SIKESTON -- As a captain of the Sikeston cheerleading team her senior year, Emily Eaves led the Lady Bulldogs to their fourth consecutive state championship. Now Eaves will remain a Bulldog, but will replace the red and black for the maroon and white of Mississippi State University in the fall.

Eaves was one of 80 girls to try out for 30 spots on the Mississippi State cheerleading squad last weekend, earning a spot on the team that competes in the Southeastern Conference.

"Tryouts were pretty intense," Eaves said. "It was a lot different than SHS."

While Sikeston has dominated state competitions and competed in nationals during Eaves' time as a Lady Bulldog, she is going to a school that has also experienced plenty of success. This season, Mississippi State brought home a sixth place honor in the co-ed division and seventh place in the all-girl division.

"They are pretty good," Eaves said. "Like any other college sport, the competition is a lot harder and the workload is going to be a lot harder."

Known for wowing fans with her difficult flips, Eaves chose Mississippi State because of her ties to the school and for the region.

"My brother (Nathan) went there and I just like the south," Eaves said. "I like the atmosphere, the southern comfort."

Eaves will not be the only former Sikeston cheerleader on the sidelines at Mississippi State as she will join Brittany Jenkins, who has cheered for the Bulldogs the last two seasons.

"It was nice having the extra reassurance and having somebody that you can go to and talk to that has been there and done it before," Eaves said of having Jenkins on the squad as well.

Eaves is the daughter of daughter of Marc and Jane Eaves.