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The Cathedral Emerald Tide dance team before the school’s parade Friday morning. (All photos courtesy Robyn Gregg and Brandi Lewis.)

Cathedral students honor state champion Emerald Tide dance team with a parade Friday morning.

Cathedral students honor state champion Emerald Tide dance team with a parade Friday morning.

Cathedral students honor state champion Emerald Tide dance team with a parade Friday morning.

Cathedral students honor state champion Emerald Tide dance team with a parade Friday morning.

Cathedral students honor state champion Emerald Tide dance team with a parade Friday morning.

From left clockwise Presley Gregg, Faith Ann Johnson, Amelia Cate Geoghegan, Adeline Burget, Ella Skates, Sydney Maier, Lillian Lewis, Ally Blanton, Ella Grace Heflin, Riley Lofton, Harper Carter and Avery Wilkerson.

From left clockwise Lacy Welch, Ella Samrow, Ava Walker, A’Nyiah Lane, Lauren Lambuth, Liza Gregg, Sally Hudson Linton and Lillie Kay Floyd.

Driver Tripp Wimberly chauffeurs from left Amelia Cate Geoghegan, Adeline Burget, Ella Grace Heflin and Ally Blanton.

Mike Skates chauffeurs Officers Ella Samrow, Ava Walker, Captain Liza Gregg and Presley Gregg.

Drivers Lily Crum and Clayton Atkins chauffeur Lacy Welch, Lillie Kay Floyd, Sally Hudson Linton and Lauren Lambuth.

Driver Owen Jordan chauffeurs Harper Carter, Sidney Maier, Riley Lofton and Lillian Lewis.

From left, Avery Wilkerson, Ella Skates, Faith Anne Johnson and A’Nyiah Lane.

NATCHEZ — Cathedral’s Emerald Tide dance team was crowned first place statewide in the MAIS annual competition in Jackson on Wednesday.

Robyn Gregg, who has coached the dance team for more than 15 years, said it’s the first time a group from Cathedral took the state title. They won top honors for the medium division in kick and pom competition.

The 9th through 12th graders—18 dancers and two managers—are a hard-working group, their coaches said.

“This is a fairly new team of girls who basically worked themselves to the top,” Gregg said. “They are a hard-working group. They practice four times a week and sometimes five times a week. The poor things competed on Wednesday and came back to practice yesterday and will cheer tonight at the football game.”

Gregg was on the original Emerald Tide dance team as a Cathedral student. Dance team coach Paige Iseminger was also a member of the Emerald Tide at Cathedral.

Kaylee Graning coaches the dance team along with Gregg and Iseminger.

“Paige’s mother (Cynthia Dollar) was my coach on the Emerald Tide 35-plus years ago,” Gregg said. Dollar began the dance team at Cathedral after it had been absent for a number of years.

“Cathedral itself has been extremely supportive — the teachers, staff, principals. We are very appreciative of that support,” Gregg said.

“These are very hardworking girls. They are very dedicated at practice to learning new routines and put up 110 percent even when they are tired. It has been a busy football season. These are great girls,” Iseminger said.

The middle school squad, coached by Graning, placed third in Junior Varsity Small Pom.

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