By the start of the Stumble finale, Courteney Potter (Jenn Lyon) had already achieved one of her wishes for her first year of coaching cheerleading at Headltston State Junior College: her Buttons squad was headed to the national cheerleading championship in Daytona, Florida.
But it remained to be seen whether the newly-assembled ragtag team would make her second wish come true — earning top prize to help score Courteney her 15th career trophy as a coach, which would make her the winningest coach in college cheer history.
Katey Sagal guest-starred in the Stumble finale
Things got off to a rough start shortly after Courteney and her squad arrived in Daytona. She was unpleasantly surprised to find out that her own former coach, Marg Hargberg (played by guest star Katey Sagal), was there. Courteney told the mockumentary cameras that Marg used to “really scream at me and say very mean things about my legs. She gave me PTSD.”
When Courteney mustered up the courage to go say hello, Marg greeted her with, “I would recognize those weird legs anywhere. Too big to fly, too small to base.”
The situation got even worse when Marg revealed that she was one of the judges for the competition, causing Courteney to worry that her squad would never get a fair shot with Marg grading them.
Courteney was more determined than ever, vowing to “deliver the most flawless routine that that old mean [bleeped expletive] has ever seen.”
Once she rejoined her squad before their rehearsal, Courteney tried to motivate them with, “You don’t have to worry about anything but each other — and one spiteful, vindictive judge.”
Obstacles continued to stand in Courteney’s way as the cheerleading squad from Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College — the school where Courteney used to coach cheer before she was fired when a video of her partying with her students went viral — was still rehearsing during the time slot designated for the Buttons.
Rival coaches Courteney and Tammy battled it out in Daytona
Courteney told the rival school’s coach, Tammy Istiny (Kristin Chenoweth) — who’s not only the one who got Courteney fired by filming and circulating that viral video, but now has Courteney’s old job — “Tammy, each team gets the room for 45 minutes, OK? It’s our turn.”
Tammy shot back, “Well, we’re not leaving, so what are you gonna do about it?”
After riling Courteney up further, Tammy then took a cell phone call, saying, “Oh, look who it is — my new bestie, Marg Hargberg.”
A distraught Courteney asked Tammy how she and Marg even met, as Tammy and Marg talked about and laughed at Courteney on the call.
Back in her hotel room, Courteney told her husband Boon E. Potter (Taran Killam), “It means that Tammy’s team’s going to get favored and that is very unfair to my kids.”
Boon advised his wife to “head down to that coach’s mixer” and kiss up to Marg.
Courteney tried to butter up her old coach, Marg
Courteney found Marg at the coach’s mixer and awkwardly attempted to compliment her necklace. “I hope you’re better at coaching than you are at kissing ass,” Marg said.
So Courteney tried a different approach, sitting next to her and saying, “Truthfully, I did want to come down here and say that you are the reason I am the coach I am today and I thank you.”
Courteney then paid for Marg’s drink and told her, “I just want you to know that my kids are so talented.” But a few seconds later, one of Courteney’s cheerleaders fell off a balcony and crashed to the ground while trying to escape the hotel for a night out.
Thanks to wearing a giant mascot head that broke his fall, that cheerleader went to the hospital but would make it.
“Thankfully, he’s not dead, but he is out of the routine,” Courteney told the squad.
The coach then turned her attention to Madonna (Arianna Davis), whom she previously cut from the competition and designated as an alternate since there were too many cheerleaders on her team for them all to take part in the championships, and because Madonna had the yips during tryouts.
“Madonna, thank God you’re here,” Courteney said. “You know this choreography better than anybody. It is your strong suit, honey, we believe in you. It’s time for you to believe in yourself again.”
Madonna thought about it, then said, “Yeah, I got you, Coach!”
Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College messed up in Daytona
Courteney intently watched as Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College, where she was formerly employed, did their routine. While they started off strong, the Sammy Davis squad had a couple of messy landings.
“You better pray Courteney [bleeped expletive] up,” Tammy yelled at her squad.
Courteney told the cameras, “That fall is definitely gonna cost them points. And even that rat … Marg Hargberg has to know that.”
The coach gave her own team a pep talk before it was their turn to perform.
Headltston’s Buttons delivered a great routine at the cheer championships
The Buttons nailed their routine and even Marg was seen smiling and tilting her head in approval. Courteney and Boon celebrated as Tammy cursed in rage.
As Courteney told the cameras, “Tammy had the best team, but she was the worst coach.”
What happened in the Stumble finale and did the Buttons win at Daytona?
At the end of the competition, Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College came in second place, with Tammy angrily grabbing her squad’s trophy and later smashing it on the floor. And as it turned out, the Buttons — who started the school year with really bad odds of even making it to Daytona, but then went on to qualify and deliver — came in third place.
As Marg walked by after the results were in, Courteney said to her, “Marg, you’re gonna punish my team by giving them low marks because you got a problem with me? You are a monster.”
Marg handed Courteney her score sheet, saying, “Your kids did a nice job out there… I judged you fairly.”
After Marg walked away, Boon came over and suggested to Courteney that they go find her team. “They must be so crushed,” Courteney said.
But when she found them, the Buttons squad was partying in the hotel pool.
“Ya’ll know third place isn’t winning, right?” Courteney said.
But the Buttons didn’t care.
“They’re right,” Courteney said. “Cheer is more than a competition. It is more than a trophy. It is about a team coming together to become the best version of themselves… That’s already winning — except it’s not, and that’s why we will be coming back next year and taking it all.”
The squad then chanted “jump, jump, jump,” until Courteney threw herself in the pool to join them.
“Can this team come back and win it all?” Courteney asked from the pool. “We can, we will, we must.”
Marg Hargberg comes out of retirement to coach at Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College
The celebration was short-lived though. While back at home, Courteney and Boon were watching TV on the couch when their show was interrupted by a breaking news report.
Before they knew it, Marg was on the screen announcing, “I’m coming out of retirement to coach Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College and I plan to win my 15th championship, with the help of my assistant coach, Tammy Istiny. I’m coming for you, Courteney Potter — and those legs.”