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Lemont defending title to wins another 8th IHSA state championship cheer title

Lemont flyer poses during a stunt
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

A Lemont cheerleader poses at the top a stunt during her teams routine at state cheer in Bloomington. The team rallied back from tenth place on day one to first to win this year's title.

BLOOMINGTON - Whoops! They did it again. The Lemont team made state history on Saturday by capturing the title in the Medium School Division at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals. It marked their second consecutive victory and a state-record 16th trophy for the program.

In a story that will become school legend, Lemont rebounded from a shaky opening performance in the preliminary round on Friday. The team squeezed into the finals, finishing 10th, just 0.34 points ahead of Lake Forest and trailing the Crystal Lake schools Prairie Ridge and Central. After a couple of near drops early in their routine, their performance turned timid, lacking the usual energetic vigor.

Nearly 24 hours later, the team achieved the improbable, soaring from last place to a state title. Never before in Illinois state finals history has a cheer team so dramatically reversed their fortunes, going from the lowest score in prelims to the highest in the finals.

Lemont scored 89.79 on Friday and surged to 97.50 for the title. Providence Catholic, who tallied 94.21 in preliminaries, improved to 97.22 to secure second place. Grayslake Central took third with 93.54. The Rams led the division after the first day with 94.50.

Lemont, along with Lockport Township, Oak Forest, Sandburg, and Conant High Schools, are the only five programs to qualify for state every year since the IHSA adopted the sport. Together, these programs have maintained a storied 20-year tradition of 'making it to state'.

Medium School Division Final Results
1 Lemont 97.5
2 Providence Catholic 97.22
3 Grayslake Central 93.54
4 Morris 93.09
5 Oak Forest 92.15
6 Benet Academy 91.86
7 Highland 91.16
8 Prairie Ridge 89.7
9 Crystal Lake Central 89.24
10 Cary-Grove 89.06

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Roxana gave it their best shot at state cheer, Shells finish in the sport's Top 25

Roxana cheerleaders compete at state championships in 2025
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Morgan Hudson and Macy Hart prepare to lift teammate Morgan Bauer for a stunt during the performance at this year's state cheer championships in Bloomington. It was the ninth trip to state in program history for the Shells Cheerleading program.

BLOOMINGTON - They may not have finished where they wanted in their sport, but one thing is for sure: members of the Roxana cheerleading team can be proud knowing they finished the season as the 24th-best team in Illinois.

The Shells' performance suffered a setback when a stunt collapsed during their preliminary round performance during Friday's IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Final prelims. Coupled with a few other minor deficiencies, the team earned an 81.14, finishing behind Timothy Christian (83.32) in 21st, Pontiac (82.8), and St. Edward (81.39).

"These athletes have faced every challenge with determination and a positive spirit, proving that success is about more than just trophies — it’s about heart, teamwork, and perseverance," Roxana head coach Stephanie Palen told RiverBender.com last week after locking in their spot to Bloomington at sectionals. "They continue to make Roxana proud."

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Members of the Roxana cheerleading team pose for judges while doing a stunt during their routine in the state cheer prelims.

Advancing out of the Mascoutah Sectional in fifth place behind Greenville, Roxana traveled to Grossinger Motors Arena for the ninth time in program history. The Shells, who won three sectional titles, have one top-10 finish out of nine state appearances under Palen.

Competitive cheer is a lot harder than it looks. Athletes need solid core strength, the cardio endurance of an 800-meter or mile specialist in track, a sense of timing/rhythm, and basic gymnastic skills. It is a high-intensity sport that requires strength, flexibility, and explosive movement. It can take years to develop tumbling skills like back handsprings or a Barani and make them look easy.

How Competitive Cheerleading scoring works
Competitive cheerleading is a high-energy sport that combines powerful athleticism, complex group choreography, and synchronized teamwork. Teams are scored on a 100-point scale, with judges evaluating teams across three major categories.

In Building Skills, stunts are assessed for difficulty, execution, and creativity, while pyramids are judged on stability, visual appeal, and synchronization. Tosses are evaluated based on height, technique, and timing, making precision and teamwork critical in this category.


Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Roxana's Keersten Murphy shows her spirit during her team's moment in the spotlight at state.

The Tumbling & Jumps category focuses on athleticism and technical skill. Standing tumbling, such as back handsprings and layouts, is scored for difficulty and execution, as are running tumbling passes like fulls and whips. Jumps are judged on height, technique, and synchronization, requiring both power and precision from performers.

The last category is Choreography & Overall Effect which emphasizes the artistry and presentation of a team's routine. Smooth transitions and creative formations are essential, while crowd-leading ability measures how well teams engage and energize the audience. Overall performance, including energy, showmanship, and the routine’s overall impression, should tie everything together to create a memorable and high-scoring performance.

This season's Shells cheerleading team
The Shells are coached by Palen, the only head coach for the program since it was added in 2012. Her assistant is Sam Sies. This year's team members include Keersten Murphy, Lexi Chamberlain, Macy Hart, Vada Arview, Morgan Bauer, Kaegen Carriker, Grace Huch, Alyssa Vetter, Sophie Copple, M'Lynn Skaggs, Raegan Martin and Morgan Hutson.

Friday's Preliminary Results
  1 - Columbia 93.82;
  2 - Mater Dei 90.84;
  3 - St. Francis 90.6;
  4 - Richmond-Burton 90.3;
  5 - Oakwood 89.44;
  6 - Breese Central 88.92;
  7 - Lexington 88.7;
  8 - North Boone 88.6;
  9 - Wilmington 88.36;
10 - Carterville 88.06;
11 - Somonauk 87.6;
12 - Rockridge 86.86;
13 - Johnsburg 86.6;
14 - Pinckneyville 86.48;
15 - Marengo 86.32;
16 - Joliet Catholic Academy 86.06;
17 - Greenville 85.98;
18 - Harrisburg 85.5;
19 - DuQuoin 85.44;
20 - Illini Bluffs 83.56;
21 - Timothy Christian 83.32;
22 - Pontiac 82.8;
23 - St. Edward 81.39;
24 - Roxana 81.14;
25 - Farmington 80.8;

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The moment they've trained for, Columbia Eagles take charge at state cheer


Four-time state championship program looks to add a fifth after a strong preliminary performance on Friday.

Columbia High School competitive cheer squad at state
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

The Columbia cheerleading team stand ready to take the floor at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals. The Eagles emerged as the leaders in the Small School Division after Friday's first-round competition.

BLOOMINGTON - The Columbia High School cheerleading team delivered a standout performance in the preliminary round of the 2024-25 IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals on Friday, securing a commanding three-point lead in the Small School Division at Grossinger Motors Arena. With a score of 93.82, the Eagles outpaced Breese Mater Dei (90.84) and Wheaton St. Francis (90.60), positioning themselves as the team to beat heading into Saturday’s finals. Their three-point lead — a significant margin in competitive cheerleading — puts them in prime position to contend for another state title.

Columbia cheerleaders performing at state
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

The Eagles' Friday performance was the best of the top-25 small school teams in the state. Fourth in the performance order, Columbia turned on the charm for crowd-pleasing routine. The squad is back on stage in the finals at 11:30 this morning, hoping to bring home another state trophy.

Columbia’s strong showing on Friday made a statement: Bring your A-game. The Eagles, who last won a state trophy in 2023, have finished in the top 10 for three consecutive years, including a second-place finish in 2023 and an eighth-place finish last year. With four state championships and six runner-up finishes in program history, Columbia is no stranger to competing against high-level cheer squads, boasting four state championships and six runner-up finishes in program history. Between 2009 and 2015, Columbia enjoyed a golden era, capturing four consecutive state titles.

This year’s finals will be intense. With Breese Mater Dei and Wheaton St. Francis in the title hunt, Columbia will need to execute their tumbling runs to perfection. Richmond-Burton (90.30) and Oakwood (89.44) rounded out the top five in the Small School Division, highlighting the depth of talent in the state. The Comets from Oakwood are newcomers to championship day competition, having qualified for day two for the first time in school history.

How Competitive Cheerleading is Scored
Competitive cheerleading is a high-energy sport that combines powerful athleticism, complex group choreography, and synchronized teamwork. Teams are scored on a 100-point scale, with judges evaluating teams across three major categories.

In Building Skills, stunts are assessed for difficulty, execution, and creativity, while pyramids are judged on stability, visual appeal, and synchronization. Tosses are evaluated based on height, technique, and timing, making precision and teamwork critical in this category.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Lylah Bridges is all smiles while performing a stunt during the Eagles' routine on Friday. Bridges and her Columbia teammates are fourth in today's performance order for small school programs. They will need the same infectious energy today in their bid for a state trophy.

The Tumbling & Jumps category focuses on athleticism and technical skill. Standing tumbling, such as back handsprings and layouts, is scored for difficulty and execution, as are running tumbling passes like fulls and whips. Jumps are judged on height, technique, and synchronization, requiring both power and precision from performers.

The last category is Choreography & Overall Effect which emphasizes the artistry and presentation of a team's routine. Smooth transitions and creative formations are essential, while crowd-leading ability measures how well teams engage and energize the audience. Overall performance, including energy, showmanship, and the routine’s overall impression, should tie everything together to create a memorable and high-scoring performance.

Meet the team
The Eagles are coached by Robbie Walters, who is assisted by Marla Rose. This year's squad includes Lucy Moore, Daylen Stevens, Mia McConachie, Morgan, Kelley, Sophia Walters, Lylah Bridges, Maddie Mudd, Ava Stanley, Maya Dill, Addie Ramage and Ellie Davis.

Schedule for Saturday
Small & Medium School Competition

Tickets for Saturday's finals competition are $12 at the door and can be purchased in advance online via TicketMaster or by phone at the City Box Office at (309) 434-2777.

10:00 a.m. - Doors of the arena open to public
10:55 a.m. - Welcome & National Anthem
11:00 a.m. - Small and Medium Team Finals
(Small and Medium team performances alternate)
12:45 p.m. - Small Team Awards
1:15 p.m. - Medium Team Awards

Top ten teams advancing to Saturday's Finals
1 - Columbia 93.82
2 - Breese Mater Dei 90.84
3 - St. Francis 90.60
4 - Richmond-Burton 90.30
5 - Oakwood 89.44
6 - Breese Central 88.92
7 - Lexington 88.70
8 - North Boone 88.60
9 - Wilmington 88.36
10 - Carterville 88.06

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