The fourth time proved to be the charm for St. Joseph-Ogden's dance team, which advanced to the state championship round for the first time in program history Friday. The Spartans will compete against Class 1A's elite at 11:16 a.m. on Saturday.
BLOOMINGTON - The St. Joseph-Ogden Dance Team broke through a three-year barrier Friday, earning its first trip to the championship round at the Illinois High School Association Competitive Dance State Finals.
The Spartans placed tenth overall with a score of 83.92 in preliminary competition at Grossinger Motors Arena, securing one of 12 coveted spots in Saturday's championship round. The achievement marks a milestone for the program in its fourth consecutive state appearance.
SJO is scheduled to perform at 11:16 a.m. Saturday, facing off against perennial Class 1A powerhouses including Clinton, Highland, Jacksonville and Morris. Jacksonville's Jettes currently lead the competition, followed by Joliet Academy and Morris.
The Spartans were the only area squad to advance from Friday's preliminaries. Unity's Rockettes finished 20th in Class 1A with a score of 78.51, while Champaign Central placed 27th in Class 2A with an 80.12. The Maroons were the lone Big Twelve Conference representative at this year's state finals.
Spectators planning to attend Saturday's championship round are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid lines. Doors open at 10 a.m., with tickets priced at $12. Both card and cash will be accepted at the venue, though exact change is preferred.
The championship round will be broadcasted on the NFHS Network here.
SJO dance team state finals 2025, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans dance championship, IHSA competitive dance state results, Illinois high school dance team state qualifiers
Down four after one quarter, Unity flipped the script behind Kendal Zerrusen's 22-point performance to defeat Rantoul 55-48 in conference play.
RANTOUL – In one of her best performances of the season, Kendal Zerrusen poured in 22 points to lead Unity past Rantoul 55-48 in Illini Prairie Conference action on January 22, giving the Rockets their second consecutive victory.
The junior sparked a second-quarter turnaround in the road game after Unity trailed 14-10 following the opening frame. Zerrusen erupted for 10 points in the period as the Rockets surged ahead 29-24 by halftime, and she continued her balanced attack with four points in each of the final two quarters.
Grace Bickers contributed 15 points and Claire Meharry added 11 for Unity (8-12), which had defeated St. Thomas More 67-44 four days earlier.
Rantoul (11-11) received 12 points apiece from Khloee McMorris and Laniece Johnson, who came off the bench to match her season high. Senior Josie Roseman chipped in 11 points for the Eagles.
Both teams head into February with postseason preparations in mind. Unity has three regular-season games remaining, while Rantoul will play four more contests—two home and two away—before the playoffs begin.
St. Joseph-Ogden put three players in double figures and drained nine three-pointers to defeat Williamsville 54-47 on the road.
WILLIAMSVILLE - St. Joseph-Ogden secured a 54-47 road victory over Williamsville on Jan. 19, marking the first meeting between the two programs since the Bullets claimed a win in 2010. The Spartans entered the non-conference matchup holding a 4-3 advantage in the past eight meetings, and extended that edge behind balanced scoring that saw three players reach double figures.
Kayla Osterbur and Hayden Dahl shared game-high honors with 12 points apiece, attacking from different areas of the floor to fuel the Spartans' offense. Osterbur did most of her damage inside, scoring 10 points in the paint and converting both of her free throw attempts, while Dahl worked from the perimeter, draining four three-pointers to keep Williamsville's defense stretched. Timera Blackburn-Kelley added 11 points to round out the double-digit scorers for St. Joseph-Ogden.
The long-range game proved pivotal for the Spartans, who received additional contributions from Addy Brooks and Katie Ericksen, who scored nine points each. Brooks, Ericksen and Dahl combined to hit nine three-pointers, providing the offensive firepower that allowed St. Joseph-Ogden to build and maintain their advantage throughout the second half.
The opening quarter saw both teams firing on all cylinders, with the score knotted at 16-all after eight minutes of play. St. Joseph-Ogden pulled ahead by three points at halftime and stretched the margin to seven by the end of the third quarter, a cushion they maintained through the final buzzer despite Williamsville's efforts to close the gap.
Juniors Cora Senelik and Reese Larson paced Williamsville's scoring effort with 11 points apiece, though both did their heaviest lifting in the first half, where Senelik posted nine points and Larson added seven. Ava Allen contributed seven points for the Bullets, who dropped to 9-11 with the loss.
The victory sparked momentum for St. Joseph-Ogden, who followed with back-to-back conference wins by nearly identical margins—defeating Prairie Central 53-47 on the road and Monticello 54-47 at home. The Spartans, now 15-7 overall, will host Rantoul on Friday looking to improve their conference record to 5-2.
More SJO Sports Articles
St. Joseph-Ogden basketball game results January 19, Kayla Osterbur Hayden Dahl stats Williamsville, SJO Spartans girls basketball score today, Illinois high school basketball St. Joseph-Ogden vs Williamsville highlights
Recent cuts in available jobs on the market point to a broader effort eliminating DEI programs and civil rights protections. Job losses tied to DEI cuts are hitting Black women hardest, pushing many toward entrepreneurship.
Photo: wocintechchat.com/Unsplash
by Teri Dee Public News Service CHICAGO - As President Donald Trump continues to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion policies, thousands of Black women in Indiana and nationwide are losing their jobs.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the unemployment rate for Black women increased nearly 1.5% from January to December of last year. That includes thousands in federal roles laid off because of budget cuts. To cover living expenses, many of these workers must apply for full or partial government assistance.
Chiquita Hall-Jackson, an employment and civil rights attorney, said she believes economic uncertainty and job losses linked to Trump’s orders have hit Black women hardest.
"The government is the number one employer of Black people, including Black women," she said. "If the government is controlled by this administration, especially for employment, and they come in and wipe out positions with buyouts, early retirement and ultimately firing and targeting Black people in their roles, especially leadership roles, this is where we land."
Black women are increasingly using entrepreneurship to create income streams.
Hall-Jackson said she believes the mass layoffs ordered by Trump follow the tactics outlined in Project 2025, a conservative initiative that broadly promotes rolling back civil rights protections for women and eliminating DEI programs. She said in conversations with jobless Black women, she has learned they prefer not to seek government aid because of childhood poverty or their parents’ opposition to seeking federal help.
The rise of artificial intelligence is causing concerns for people trying to re-enter the workforce. A Reuters-Ipsos poll finds 71% of respondents are concerned AI could permanently put too many people out of work. If severance pay is included during a job exit, Hall-Jackson suggested Black women should consider options outside of pursuing a career change.
"Invest that money into a startup, some kind of stock," she suggested. "Find what investment vehicle works for you so you can maximize that money in case there’s an emergency."
Black women are increasingly using entrepreneurship to create income streams. A Wells Fargo 2025 report shows the number of Black women-owned businesses rose more than 7% throughout the year. The number of businesses owned by Black women increased by 33% between 2019 and 2023.
More that might interest you
Black women unemployment trends, DEI policy rollback impact, federal layoffs Black workers, Black women entrepreneurship growth, Project 2025 employment effects
News, sports, and more from our archives. Explore our archived articles below from January 29 throughout the years.
Editor's choice ~
Defending champ Lake Forest leads strong field at IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals
BLOOMINGTON– The road to an IHSA Competitive Dance state title runs through Grossinger Motors Arena this weekend, where 30 Class 2A teams will battle for a coveted spot in Saturday’s finals. With nine of last year’s top 12 squads returning, the competition is stacked with experienced contenders looking to make their mark.
TAGS: SJO dominates IPC conference, St. Joseph-Ogden loses to St. Teresa, Unity beats Pontiac, Photo of the Day, Alejandro Duarte, Addison Brooks, Why are churches locked
From the extensive archive of photos from the iphotonews.com, here is the photo of the day for January 29, 2026.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Kewanee's Alejandro Duarte ties up Olympia's Nolen Yeary in their Class 1A 215-pound fifth-place match at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals on February 17, 2024. Duarte won the bout with a pin at 3:37 into his match.
Past Photos of the Day
TAGS: Kewanee wrestler Alejandro Duarte, IHSA state wrestling tournament, Olympia wrestler Nolan Yeary, Nolan Yeary sixth at state, Alejandro Duarte places fifth at state, Duarte pins Yeary at state wrestling tournament
Here are recaps and scores from area girls and boys basketball games yesterday.
Boys Basketball
Maroons fall in conference tilt to the Generals
Cayden Love had 14 points and nine rebounds in Central's loss at home to Decatur MacArthur (21-1). Sophomore Elijah Young stepped up as the team's second leading scorer with 12 points. Love and the Maroons (7-12) drop to 2-4 in conference play and play Manual on the road in Peoria on Friday.
Heritage misses victory in thriller
In their second meeting on the hardwood, hands down, Heritage played a better game against Tri-County, closing out regulation time tied at 67-all. In their game two weeks earlier, the Titans dominated the Hawks, 71-58. This time Heritage fell short by two, 72-74.
Senior Rylan White dropped a team-high 27 points with James Dillon (13 points) and Clark Roland (11 points) contributing heavily in the effort. White finished with 11 rebounds and Dillon snagged 10 of his own.
Unity beats Central Catholic on the road
KeShaun Manney's 29-point romp, the Rockets held the Saints to 17 points in the second half for another Illini Praire Conference victory, improving to 20-2 on the season.
Dane Eisenmenger scored 11 points in the second quarter, giving the Rockets a one-point deficit at the half. He finished the road game with 19 points and Coleton Langendorf was good for 18. Tre Hoggard finished with 11 much needed points, nine in the second half to help the team stay undefeated in conference play.
ALAH turn one-point lead to 11 at conference tourney
Seven players contributed to the Knights win over Villa Grove in Lincoln Prairie Conference tournament action on Tuesday. Will Hilligoss led the way for ALAH with 10 points. Marcus Otto and Cruz Hale finished with eight points each.
Hoopeston Area takes down Cissna Park
Junior Nick Cardenas led the Cornjerkers with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. JJ Martinez chipped in eight points and two steals. Senior Cole Miller five points and six boards in the home conference game. Improving to 10-11 on the season, Hoopeston goes on the road Friday to take on Bismarck-Henning.
Boys' Area Scoreboard
Illinois Valley Central 64, St. Joseph-Ogden 49
Unity 66, Bloomington Central Catholic 52
Bismarck-Henning 72, Watseka 22
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 45, Villa Grove 34
St. Thomas More vs Prairie Central - not reported
Centennial vs Lanphier - not reported
MacArthur 65, Champaign Central 51
Tri-County 74, Heritage 72 (OT)
Oakwood 67, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 57
Pontiac 45, Rantoul 36
Mahomet-Seymour 65, Bloomington 55
Hoopeston Area 41, Cissna Park 38
Girls Basketball
Rantoul falls in lopsided affair to Pontiac
Josie Roseman scored 12 points and Erykah Baltimore added ten more in the Eagles loss to Pontiac. Rantou falls to 12-13 overall and 2-4 in Illini Prairie Conference.
Urbana suffers 8 consecutive loss
Lai'yonna Harper put 12 points on the scoreboard and collected five steals but it wasn't enough to help lift the Tigers over the visiting Trojans on Tuesday. After a nine-all first half, Charleston outscored Urbana 30-17 for a non-conference win.
Kaya Hill was credited with eight steals and finished with seven points in the Tigers' 12th consecutive loss this season.
Scoring drought sinks Spartans at IVC
A huge third-quarter rally by the Grey Ghosts dug a hole too deep for the Spartans climb out, resulting in a 64-43 loss.
Timera Blackburn-Kelley finished with nine points for SJO, while Atleigh Miller added another eight points in the conference loss. Seniors Katie Ericksen and Kayla Osterbur were held to just seven points each.
Rockets stunned by Saints
Bloomington Central Catholic held Unity scoreless in the fourth quarter of their conference game Tuesday on the way to a 64-18 win. Allison Emm led all scorers with 18 points. Emme Hurie finished with 16 points and pulled in 10 of the Saints 35 rebounds.
Girls' Area Scoreboard
Illinois Valley Central 64, St. Joseph-Ogden 43
Bloomington Central Catholic 64, Unity 18
Pontiac 67, Rantoul 39
Charleston 39, Urbana 26
Prairie Central 62, St. Thomas More 21
This weekend's series of protests were inspired by demonstrations in the Minnesota and fueled by outrage over recent fatal shootings by federal agents.
Affordable access to education is critical for ensuring Black workers can participate in the AI-driven workforce. While the full scope of AI-related job displacement remains unclear, the environmental and health effects of data centers are already evident.
Photo: Emiliano Vittoriosi/Unsplash
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Public News Service
As the nation prepares to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., concerns about the growth of artificial intelligence and its impact on communities of color is increasing.
Experts say AI will disproportionately affect Black workers through displacement and the environmental burden of data centers, which are more likely to be located in marginalized communities.
Keisha Bross, director of the NAACP's Center for Opportunity, Race and Justice, said Black workers are overrepresented in entry-level jobs, as well as manufacturing and logistics work.
"The best thing that these companies can do is really provide educational tools and resources because we don't want people displaced from the workforce," she said. "We want people to be back in the workforce but also earning a wage that's livable."
Bross underscored that it's still unclear exactly where and how AI will displace workers. However, the impact of data centers is more clear; they've already been linked to health impacts for people in communities near them. Illinois is a top destination for data centers, estimated to have nearly 200 across the state.
Bross said Black communities already face higher unemployment rates. Black unemployment was at 7.5% in December, compared with about 4.5% for the overall population. To ensure Black workers have a place in the new AI economy, she said, workers need affordable access to education.
"We have to embrace technology and we have embrace artificial intelligence, but we also have to have oversight," she said, "and we have to have governance in order to make sure that it's not discriminatory, and that we're not implementing technologies that are going to hurt populations of people."
Bross said the Trump administration's fight against diversity, equity and inclusion has hurt people of color, but added that it's important for companies to commit to diverse hiring practices because representation matters and a diverse workforce will make their companies more successful in the long run.
Konstantin Zhukov says that an FBI raid of a journalist’s home last week is not an isolated incident but part of an ongoing escalation since President Donald Trump took office.
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Public News Service
A Midwest professor is sounding the alarm on what he called the Trump administration’s authoritarian tactics to quell the press, free speech and other constitutional rights, stressing everyone should be paying attention.
Konstantin Zhukov, assistant professor of economics at Indiana University-Kokomo, argued the FBI raid of a journalist’s home last week is not an isolated incident but part of an ongoing escalation since President Donald Trump took office a year ago. He emphasized as someone originally from Russia, he recognized it as a familiar autocratic move.
"It's the story that you usually hear in Russia," Zhukov explained. "It's a common instrument that the Russian authorities use in order to scare the journalists, to signal to them that they shouldn't do their work essentially, that they shouldn't keep the government accountable."
Zhukov pointed to recent volatile policing and immigration protest dynamics in states like Illinois and Minnesota as another big concern. Last week, Chicago officials joined an Illinois lawsuit challenging allegedly unlawful and unconstitutional immigration enforcement. The Trump administration called the lawsuit “baseless” and defends its immigration actions as enforcing federal law.
Zhukov links current trends to broader free speech risks, asserting after the murder of Charlie Kirk last year, an administration-issued memorandum sets a dangerous precedent by enabling a broad classification of domestic terrorism. He argued it could potentially include anyone who disagrees with the administration’s agenda.
While he believes American institutions are strong enough to withstand the current administration, Zhukov stressed how much they are being weakened and how future administrations could undermine them more severely.
"The precedent that I think it sets is that the administration will just keep pushing the boundaries of what is accepted of the executive power to do," Zhukov projected.
Zhukov recommended countermeasures like voting in the midterm elections and continuing to speak out peacefully to normalize dissent and widen public discourse. He emphasized recognizing autocratic tactics is essential to combating them.
"What is happening right now is very dangerous and it's a classic playbook of the autocrats," Zhukov underscored. "The more people understand that these are the steps toward autocracy, the better."
Starting Feb. 1, SNAP recipients ages 18-64 without dependents will be required to work for at least 80 hours a month. If work/volunteer requirements aren't met in any month, it will count against the SNAP recipient.
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Public News Service
New work-reporting requirements for SNAP recipients in Illinois take effect next month and groups fighting hunger said they are working hard to ensure the nearly 2 million Illinois residents who rely on SNAP food assistance are prepared for the changes.
Starting Feb. 1, SNAP recipients ages 18-64 without dependents will be required to work, volunteer or participate in a qualified education or training program for at least 80 hours a month to maintain their benefits. There's widespread concern the stringent reporting requirements will cause some to be denied benefits or go without.
Camerin Mattson, communications manager for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, explained those who fail to meet the requirements will be limited to three months of SNAP benefits within a three-year period, which could begin as early as May 1.
"Ostensibly, if they're unable to meet those requirements in February, in March and in April, as of May 1st, they would lose their benefits," Mattson pointed out.
She noted it does not have to be consecutive. If work requirements aren't met in any month, it will count against the SNAP recipient but there are exemptions, and she urged anyone who may qualify for them to alert the Illinois Department of Human Services immediately to avoid losing benefits, which can be done online.
Mattson emphasized the critical role SNAP plays in food security, noting for every meal provided by food banks, SNAP benefits provide nine meals. She cautioned the November government shutdown was a sobering preview of the effects of benefit disruption. Her organization served a record high of more than 240,000 households across Cook County. She anticipates they will see another increase as new work requirements take effect.
"Food pantries and food banks like ours are meant to supplement," Mattson underscored. "We were not designed to fill the gap of this big federal program that has been around for decades, that has been operating so successfully in helping people not experience food insecurity."
She stressed the broader economic implications: Every dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in local economic activity at grocery stores through job creation and tax revenue generation. She thinks the effects could especially be felt in areas where grocery stores are already scarce, potentially leading to store closures and fewer community resources.
President Trump claimed these violent felons did not attack anyone after issuing a blanket pardon to Daniel Rodriguez and others after the attack of Michael Fanone.
Illinois will receive $193 million a year for the next five years to expand health care access in rural areas. The funding comes from a new federal program created to offset Medicaid cuts included in H.R. 1.
by Nikoel Hytrek
Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD - Illinois will receive $193 million for each of the next five years to expand health care access for the approximately 1.9 million people in rural areas — or about $101 annually for every rural Illinoisan.
The money comes from the $50 billion federal Rural Healthcare Transformation Program fund, which Congress created to offset federal Medicaid spending cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or H.R. 1, that passed last summer.
But health care organizations said the money will not be enough to compensate for Medicaid cuts.
Photo by PEXELS/RDNE Stock Project
Illinois has 85 small and rural hospitals that serve as hubs for access to healthcare. Hospitals could be forced to reduce services like obstetrics, cut staff, or close entirely if government funding isn't sufficient.
“These funds are good, and we're going to put them to good use, but it's not a solution,” said Jordan Powell, senior vice president of health policy and finance for the Illinois Health and Hospital Association. “It's not going to mitigate the impact of the significant Medicaid cuts that are coming our way.”
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services said between 190,000 to 360,000 Medicaid recipients are at risk of losing coverage in Illinois because of new work requirements.
H.R. 1 also imposes a tighter cap on how much money states can raise for their Medicaid programs through provider taxes. The new limits will be phased in, starting in fiscal year 2028, and could reduce total Medicaid funding in Illinois by $4.5 billion a year by fiscal year 2031.
“Long term, we know a number of HR 1 provisions will have a devastating impact on healthcare in our state and present significant challenges with respect to maintaining equitable access to high-quality healthcare coverage for all Illinois residents,” the department said in a statement.
Illinois has 85 small and rural hospitals that serve as hubs for access to care for people who can’t travel long distances. Nearly 30% operate at a deficit, though, and most of the patients they serve are on Medicare or Medicaid, according to the Health and Hospital Association.
Photo: Anna Shvets/PEXELS
Increasing the workforce at rural hospitals is a priority that needs to be addressed.
Powell described the new federal money as a bandage, not a permanent solution for the cuts Illinois hospitals will face. As Medicaid reimbursement decreases, he said, hospitals could be forced to reduce services like obstetrics, cut staff, or close entirely.
Rural population is only a small part of grant consideration
The amount each state received ranged from $147 million for New Jersey to $281 million for Texas, and rural population appeared to be only a small factor in the equation.
That means states like Texas, with the largest rural population in the country, got far less per rural resident than states like Rhode Island, which has the smallest. Texas received $66 per rural resident and Rhode Island, with a total award of $156 million, received $6,305 per rural resident.
Half of the total $50 billion was awarded to states equally, but the other half was awarded based on specific factors such as a state’s current or planned policies for rural health care and proposed ideas that align with federal Make America Healthy Again priorities.
Among its neighbors, Illinois has the second-lowest award amount. Michigan, with its $173 million award, is the only state with less.
In the Midwest, Michigan’s rural population is slightly larger than Illinois’, but it received only $83 per person compared to Illinois’ $101. Iowa, with fewer rural residents than Illinois, got $139 per rural person.
Illinois’ Priorities
When filling out the application to the federal government, Illinois’ HFS consulted provider associations, rural hospitals, community health centers, community mental health centers, universities and community colleges, legislators and vendors.
According to the department, the state’s application focused on:
Increasing the number of health care workers in rural areas with education, scholarships, training and incentive programs.
Removing the barriers that rural residents face to getting health care by investing in mobile and telehealth services.
Changing the way rural health care systems run by creating regional partnerships.
The federal government indicated a preference for “transforming systems,” not just supporting ongoing operating expenses.
HFS said the hospital transformation grants will be a good tool for expanding its existing Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives to rural areas. The state launched the collaborative effort in 2021 to improve health care outcomes and reduce disparities across the state. It involves providers sharing resources to meet the health needs of multiple communities and expand access to services like preventative and specialty care.
“Team-based care, in partnership with hospitals and primary care practices, looks to improve access to care for rural residents by building out infrastructure and technology in order to increase access to specialty services, transform healthcare delivery, and overcome known geographic barriers for these communities,” the agency said in an emailed statement.
Powell said increasing the workforce and cybersecurity at hospitals are some of the top priorities. After that, he said, expanding rural broadband internet and upgrading electronic health records are important.
“Workforce and technology were two of the main things that we heard from our members,” he said. “I think the state wants to emphasize better partnerships and collaboration between providers.”
‘Not a long-term fix’
Despite allowing rural hospitals and health systems to make needed improvements, Powell said he still doesn’t think the money will be enough to make up for losing Medicaid payments.
“It’s kind of like supplemental funding that’s going to help them survive just a little bit longer,” he said. “I would actually say a significant portion of them are facing slim to negative margins, as is. And so this is funding that, again, will maintain some stability and viability for these organizations. But it's not a long-term fix.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
More on Illinois politics
TAGS: Illinois rural health care funding, Medicaid cuts impact Illinois hospitals, rural hospitals Illinois federal grants, Illinois Medicaid work requirements health care, Rural Healthcare Transformation Program Illinois
The Illinois House met Wednesday, passing several Democrat-introduced symbolic resolutions against the current administration's federal policies. House Republicans opposed the measures, characterizing them as unproductive.
Georgia Epiphaniou and Erika Tulfo are graduate students in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and fellows in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
More on Illinois politics
TAGS: Illinois House symbolic resolutions, Illinois Democrats Trump criticism, Illinois General Assembly spring session, GOP response Illinois House resolutions, Trump policies Illinois legislature
The Maroons are back at state for the second straight season as they take the floor in Bloomington on Friday afternoon in the hunt for a state title.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Members of the 2025 Central Dance Team perform during the preliminary round at the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals. The Maroons will compete against 29 of the best Class 2A squads from around the state this weekend.
CHAMPAIGN - Champaign Central’s competitive dance program returns to the state stage Friday with both experience and opportunity on its side. With more experience and nearly 12 months of practice under their belts, the Maroons' dance squad hopes to establish themselves as the new kids on the block.
The Maroons will compete in the preliminary round of the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, looking to advance to Saturday’s Class 2A championship round after qualifying for state for the second consecutive season. Central finished 30th overall a year ago and enters this weekend aiming to break into the top 12 teams from a field of 30 qualifiers.
The Class 2A landscape remains formidable, with seven of last year’s top 10 teams back in the mix. Defending champion Geneva, runner-up Burlington Central and third-place finisher Lake Zurich all return and are widely viewed as favorites to again occupy the podium. However, the absence of past contenders Benet Academy, St. Charles North and Libertyville has opened the door for programs like Champaign Central to climb higher in the standings.
Central is scheduled to take the floor at 1:17 p.m., following the Unity Rockettes of Tolono, who are making their ninth state appearance in Class 1A. Later in the session, St. Joseph-Ogden will perform at 1:45 p.m. as the third Champaign County school competing Friday, also seeking a spot in the 1A finals after finishing 16th last season.
After all 60 performances across Classes 1A and 2A are completed, the IHSA will announce the 12 finalists in each division who will advance to Saturday’s championship rounds.
Returning for the Maroons this season are Aurelie Gerini, Azaria Lewis, TyShauna Leinhart, Summer Aker, Kai’mere Beard, Tesla Burack and Leyla Allison. The roster also features four newcomers in Mekhi Gray, Ayden Hepler, Charlotte Hartsock and Aisha Emniser, adding depth to a program continuing to establish itself on the state level.
Admission to the state finals is $17, with tickets available in advance through Ticketmaster. Live coverage will also be available on the NFHS Network.
TAGS: Champaign Central competitive dance state finals, IHSA Competitive Dance Class 2A preliminaries, Champaign Central dance team Bloomington, Grossinger Motor Arena dance finals, Champaign Central second state appearance
Balanced scoring and ice-cold free throw shooting carried St. Joseph-Ogden past Bismarck-Henning 53-40 in Thursday's region...
On This Day
Discover the headlines published on each of these days from our news and sports coverage from Champaign‑Urbana and the wider community. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
SJO is scheduled to perform at 11:16 a.m. Saturday, facing off against perennial Class 1A powerhouses including Clinton, Highland, Jacksonville and Morris. Jacksonville's Jettes currently lead the competition, followed by Joliet Academy and Morris.
The Spartans were the only area squad to advance from Friday's preliminaries. Unity's Rockettes finished 20th in Class 1A with a score of 78.51, while Champaign Central placed 27th in Class 2A with an 80.12. The Maroons were the lone Big Twelve Conference representative at this year's state finals.
Spectators planning to attend Saturday's championship round are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid lines. Doors open at 10 a.m., with tickets priced at $12. Both card and cash will be accepted at the venue, though exact change is preferred.
The championship round will be broadcasted on the NFHS Network here.
