MILTON — Whether it’s football, baseball, basketball, track or softball, Milton High School is known for having many students earn scholarships to play college sports.
Now, Alexis Downs and Lauren Boyett have worked their way to two college cheerleading squads.
WATCH: Video of MHS officials speak about the student's accomplishments>
While Downs earned a spot on the University of West Florida cheerleading squad, Boyett earned a cheerleading scholarship to Troy University in Alabama.
GALLERY: Photos from the scholarship signing event>
“I have been the athletic director here since 2000, and this is a first,” Murry Rutledge said.
While it may not be a first for a MHS cheerleader to make it the collegiate level, recognizing such an accomplishment is uncommon.
“(Cheerleading) is not what you would consider a necessary sport for a college, so they don’t give too many scholarships,” said MHS cheerleading coach Cathy Barnhill. “Since we are not a competition school, we have very few girls go on to cheer in college … so this is a rarity in several aspects.”
Barnhill praised Downs’ and Boyett’s passion for cheerleading.
“If you would have asked who out of our squad would have gone on to cheer in college, I would have picked these two, because they both just love cheerleading,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: MHS's Downs, Boyett to cheer in college (VIDEO, PHOTOS)