The Dexter High School cheerleading team hasn’t had much to cheer for on Friday nights this football season. The varsity football team is 0-6 and cheers designated for scoring plays have been few and far between, with the Dreadnaughts scoring just 24 points for the entire season thus far.

That will change in December when the team heads to Orlando, Fla. to participate in the halftime show of 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl. Formerly known as the Champs Sports Bowl, the game will feature the No. 2 post-BCS selection from the Atlantic Coast Conference and No. 1 post-BCS selection from the Big East Conference.

The Dexter team was asked to participate in the halftime show by WorldStrides Heritage Performance after being voted the top team at a summer sideline cheer team camp.

“After our performance, they called us and asked us to participate,” said Doreen Reardon, who has coached the team for ten years. “They gave us a choice between the Sugar Bowl and the Russell Athletic Bowl and the girls chose Orlando.”

In addition to performing at halftime of the bowl game, which takes place on Dec. 28 at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, the 15 members of the team will participate in the Macy’s Holiday Day Parade on Christmas Day at Universal Studios.

“We’re excited, I’m really proud of them,” Reardon said. “We’re honored to be one of the high schools chosen.”

Until the bowl game, the team will continue to cheer for their hometown team. And no matter how tough the season is, Reardon said the team’s enthusiasm has never waned.

“We’re there to support to support the boys and we’re there to support our school,” Reardon said. “We just try to keep the morale up.”

The Dexter cheer team is currently fundraising for expenses related to the trip offering cheer clinics, doing bake sales and soliciting community support. For information contact Reardon at reardond@dexterschools.org.

Michigan athletes garner Big Ten honors

Several University of Michigan athletes earned Big Ten honors this week the league announced on Tuesday, highlighted by the sweeping of weekly conference honors from the men's swimming and diving team. Connor Jaeger won Swimmer of the Week, Jack Lee won Diver of the Week and Dylan Bosch won Freshman of the Week for the Wolverines.

All three won two individual events in Michigan's first meet of the season against Wisconsin. Jaeger won the 1,000-yard freestyle and 500 freestyle, Lee won the 1-meter and 3-meter events and Bosch won the 200 and 100 butterfly.

The women's team fared well against Wisconsin as well and brought home a pair of conference honors with Carey Chen winning Diver of the Week for placing first in the 1-meter and second in the 3-meter. Angela Chokran won Swimmer of the Week after winning the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

Senior Rebecca Addison was named Big Ten women's cross country Athlete of the Week after winning the Rim Rock Farm Classic 6,000 meter course in a season-best time of 20 minutes, 29.2 seconds. Michigan placed first in the 15-team field.

EMU soccer players sweep weekly MAC awards

Eastern Michigan women's soccer players Angela Vultaggio and Jenna O'Dell swept the Mid American Conference's weekly awards the league announced on Monday.

Vultaggio, a sophomore forward, was named Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the game winning goal in Eastern's 2-1 win over Bowling Green State University on Friday and again in the Eagles' 2-0 win over Central Michigan on Sunday. Vultaggio also had an assist against Central.

O'Dell, a redshirt freshman goalkeeper, was named Defensive Player of the Week after making five saves against both CMU and BGSU and recording her third shutout in four matches. Eastern is currently 7-3-1 and in first place in the MAC West Division with a 4-0-0 conference record.

Hole-in-one

Caroline House, of Ypsilanti, had a hole-in-one at Green Oaks Golf Course in Ypsilanti on Monday, Oct. 1. House aced hole No. 6, a 125-yard par-3 with a hybrid club. It was her first-ever hole-in-one and she shot a 48 on the 9-hole round.

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Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at petercunningham@annarbor.com.