Sometimes you don't know quite how much you'll miss something you love until it's gone. Few know that better than Marion senior cheerleaders Emmy Crymes and Cadence Sudbury. Crymes and Sudbury each admit to being emotional following the end of basketball season, and in turn, the expected end of their cheer careers. “I was beyond sad when I thought cheer was over for me,” said Sudbury. “When that last basketball game was over I definitely cried.” But things have a way of working out, and Crymes and Sudbury signed their letters of intent on Monday afternoon to cheer at Arkansas State. “These girls have been extraordinarily important to our program here for a number of years,” said Marion cheer sponsor Lauren Brinkley. “They each offer a unique skill set as far as on the field or court. But they've also been great leaders for us and set a great example, which is so important.” Crymes thought she was bound for Mississippi State in Starkville upon graduation when the wheels of fate began to churn. She started considering Arkansas State as a student only, but “when I went to go try out (for cheer) it just felt right, it felt like home,” said Crymes. “I met all the right people, and I knew pretty quickly that it was the best place for me to be for college.” “Emmy has the heart of a cheerleader,” said Brinkley. “She's very passionate about cheer, and her teammates. That passion is a driving factor for everything that she does. She does whatever it takes to help the team out.” Sudbury was sold on Arkansas State during most of her senior year, but it wasn't until the spring arrived that she began to turn her attention to cheer. The senior attended a series of tryouts where potential athletes were cut at the end of each day after performing several cheer techniques. Sudbury made the cut at the end of the first two days, and when she was left standing after day No. 3 to make the team “I literally screamed,” said Sudbury. “I jumped out of the car, I was running around the parking lot where we were. I was so excited and happy, and I still am.” “Cadence is incredibly reliable and we have been so thankful to have her here the last few years,” said Brinkley. “She's a person who can quickly make changes or improvements and she doesn't get flustered. I can't remember a time where I've ever worried that she was going to fall or go to a wrong spot or go on the wrong count or any of those things.” Ryan Salami and Hannah Walker are the cheer coaches at Arkansas State University.