An 8th grade cheerleader watched her teammates quit one by one. Then she took the mat solo.

An 8th grade cheerleader competed solo at a cheerleading competition after her entire squad quit one by one before the event. Despite performing alone on the mat, she delivered a routine that left the judges with a strong reaction. The story, published on November 6, 2026 by Evan Porter via Upworthy on Yahoo Sports, highlights her determination to compete despite losing her whole team.