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Middleboro Cheerleader Inspires Fellow Students

MIDDLEBORO (CBS) - A Middleboro High School cheerleader is inspiring his fellow students and everyone he meets.

Evan Adelman has Down syndrome, but it's not holding him back. In fact, he's getting ready to cheer at the biggest stadium in the state.

Evan and his cheerleading teammates whipped up school spirit Friday as the Middleboro High School football team heads to Gillette Stadium Saturday for a Super Bowl game.

This is Evan's first year on the squad. "It's fun. I like doing cartwheels," he says. He doesn't just "do" cartwheels, he crushes cartwheels.

Evan Adelman
Evan Adelman (WBZ-TV)

"His flips are crazy," says teammate Hanna Kaplinger. In fact, they're Evan's claim to fame, and he's front and center when he shows his stuff.

But that's not the most important thing the 17-year-old with does for the cheerleading squad.

"It's amazing to see how much he can do with the challenges he goes through," says teammate Tiffani Capeau.

"He comes in, he makes a joke or he does some weird, crazy tumbling that no one's seen before, but he can do it," adds cheerleader Paige Crites.

Evan Adelman
Evan Adelman (WBZ-TV)

"Evan can do everything that all these girls are doing," says coach Alyssa Shelters.

"I think it gives the girls a little more motivation to see that he tries so hard and he works really hard and he does it all, and they can try really hard and they can do everything they want to do, too."

And Saturday, at the home of the Super Bowl champion Patriots, Evan will inspire the Middleboro football faithful. But no matter which team they're rooting for, the crowd will be on its feet for this young man, who is already predicting the winner.

"Middleboro!" Evan shouts.

Saturday's game against Littleton is a big one. The Middleboro football team hasn't been in a Super Bowl game for 34 years. The cheerleaders are winners as well. They won the South regionals for Division 3.

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