HANCOCK AIRPORT -- It was a big welcome home for a job well done.
The Cicero Falcons cheerleading squad returned home to Central New York to a huge group of family and friends at Hancock Airport Friday afternoon. This after the team won the National Championship in Walt Disney World.
"It feels amazing because we're the first New York State team to get national champions and just going to Disney is amazing," said Lexi Delbalso, 12.
"It was a dream come true," said Rebekah Liszewski, 12. "I did not expect first -- I still can't believe it."
But this happy ending almost never happened. Late last week, the team was still short $10,000 to make the trip to Disney. But a day before leaving for Orlando, the team secured enough money to take flight. They can't thank the community enough for the support.
"We're just happy that everyone in the community donated to us so we could make it to Disney," said Victoria Dunham, 11.
Assistant coach Amy Dunham said the team was extremely close to not making the trip before getting one last wave of donations.
"If it wasn't for the community, we wouldn't have had the opportunity to come back as national champions," said Dunham. "They were unbelievable -- everywhere we went, people were supportive of us."
And while the girls celebrate a hard-earned championship, they say they're already looking ahead to next year -- when they say they hope to defend their national title.
