-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Aubrey Bemrich of St. Edmond compete in the girls 5k run during Humboldt Invitational on Monday at Sheldon Park

This coming Saturday, Aubrey Bemrich will do exactly what she has done throughout her high school career.

Stay busy.

Bemrich, a junior at St. Edmond, will compete at the Iowa High School State Cheerleading Championships along with her fellow squad members before jumping in a vehicle and returning to run at state cross country with her Gael team.

For Bemrich, though, the chaos has been well worth it.

During the week of district cross country, Bemrich competed for one of 29 spots on the all-state cheerleading squad. Over 200 cheerleaders from around the state took part in the tryouts, with Bemrich earning a second consecutive selection.

She will be performing during the halftime of the boys state basketball tournament in March.

That was on Sunday, Oct. 20, and five days later, she placed ninth at districts to earn an individual bid to state cross country as St. Edmond finished third overall to advance as a team for a sixth consecutive season.

“Making it to state in two of my favorite sports is one of the most rewarding things,” Bemrich said. “I’ve cheered my whole life, so all-state cheer really means a lot. What I like most about all-state cheer is you get the chance to meet lots of new people and you really learn how to work with others.

“Making it to state cross country is the best feeling. I never thought I would be a distance runner in my life, so it also really means a lot.

Bemrich placed fourth at the North Central Conference meet earlier this year, among several other Top-10 finishes throughout the season.

“This season has been a tough one, but I think I finally found the mentality that I need again,” she said. “I’m so excited to go as a team because being there with them means so much.

“I’m also so excited to represent St. Edmond at the state level because it helps knowing that all of the late nights and hard work has paid off.”

Her memorable week wasn’t quite over yet, as Bemrich also started clinicals towards her Certified Nursing Assistant degree the day after districts. She finished things off by helping St. Edmond win the Class 1A stunt group and cheer/dance titles at the Triton Challenge hosted by Iowa Central this past Sunday.

“Learning to balance my time between activities and school can definitely be a struggle,” Bemrich said. “There’s lots of mental breakdowns, but the fun experiences definitely outweigh the times when it gets tough.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Three other members of the SEHS cross country team will also be at state cheerleading in Caroline Shelly, Jacey Ash and Klara Baker.