Stumble finale: Buttons finish third as Marg returns to challenge Courteney

By the finale, Courteney Potter had already achieved one goal: her Buttons squad was headed to the national cheerleading championship in Daytona. Her second wish — winning the title to earn a 15th career trophy and become the winningest coach in college cheer history — remained uncertain.

In Daytona she ran into her former coach, Marg Hargberg, who was serving as a judge. Marg’s past treatment of Courteney and her presence on the panel unnerved the coach, while rival Tammy Istiny and the Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College squad blocked the Buttons’ rehearsal slot and cultivated a cozy relationship with Marg.

Misfortune struck when a Buttons member fell from a balcony but survived thanks to a mascot head and was ruled out of the routine. Courteney put alternate Madonna back in, and the Buttons delivered a clean performance while Sammy Davis suffered a few messy landings.

courteney potter, buttons squad, national championship, daytona, marg hargberg, tammy istiny, sammy davis, balcony fall, mascot head, college cheer