The Radford cheerleading squad is heading to the state championships in an unfamiliar situation: As defending champion.

After four years of being the runners-up, Radford won its first state title in 2006. Unwilling to rest on that, Radford coach Bo Frank said he prepared his squad with even more stunts for Sunday's HHSAA/Zippy's Cheerleading State Championships at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Thirteen schools are competing in the medium division (11 or fewer members): Radford, Lahainaluna, Roosevelt, Kalaheo, Kailua, Waiakea, McKinley, Campbell, Waimea, Radford, Baldwin, 'Aiea and Farrington. Three are challenging for the large division (12 to 18 squad members) category: Kealakehe, Mililani and defending champ Kamehameha.

"We prepare the same way," Frank said. "Those other championship (meets) and this one are all the same. What we do is the same. We leave everything on the floor. Whether we win or not, as long as we do our best, then they're champions to me."

He said the squad is performing harder stunts that no other squads in the state are doing.

The Rams are coming off an O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship and a third-place finish at the National Cheerleading Championships High School National Championships in Dallas last month.

"It gave our team a lot of confidence," senior captain Cortney Williams said.

Keisha Pamaylaon said it gave the squad "a boost on our stunts."

"Everything kind of upgraded after we went up (to Dallas)," she added.

One coach who is familiar with championships is Kamehameha's Melissa Beimes, who has helped the Warriors win five straight state titles as an assistant or head coach.

"Everybody is doing their own routine. Everyone has been working just as hard as you," Beimes said. "You just have to worry about your team. Everything is up to the judges."

For years, Kamehameha has set the state's standard of cleanliness in its routines. This year, Beimes said the Warriors are implementing "more creativity in routines," with more difficult stunts that are "different and new."

Each team has 2 1/2 minutes of performance time. It must not exceed 1 1/2 minutes of music and must perform a minimum of 35 seconds of cheering. Cheerleaders are judged on criteria such as motions, jumps, stunts, tumbling and dance. Choreography, execution and overall performance are factors in a squad's score.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.