The Sentinel: IHSA State

Lake Forest delivers impressive performance for Class 2A dance title

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

BLOOMINGTON - Lake Forest's moving interpretive presentation was the 18th of 24 performances on Saturday. Like every year, the field of competition was tremendous, and the Scouts Dance Team overwhelmingly impressed the judging crew, earning the Class 2A division's top score of 98.02.

This year's Scouts include Bianca Storino, Rachel Silvers, Alana Tennett, Ellery Newman, Maddie Van Nuys, Hadleigh Deegan, Lyla Carney, Kate Westerman, Blakely Rice, Reese Harper, Amelia Hansen, Finley Karr, Grace Clark, Josie Irvin, Sophia Brincat, Mia Konkel, Camille Brincat, and Madeleine Axus. Lake Forest was led to the finals by head coach Angela McNicholas with the help of assistant Ashley Nash.

Nearly four points behind this year's state champions, Lincoln-Way West (94.12), who finished fourth with their hip-hop routine after Friday's preliminary round, was crowned this year's runner-up squad. Making their fifth consecutive state appearance, the Warrior's dynamic performance and precise execution yielded a second-place finish.

Geneva took home their 11th consecutive state trophy after finishing third with a score of 92.72. The Vikings program has consistently finished in the top three since 2014.

Placing third after the first round of performances, Lake Zurich (91.88) closed out the IHSA season in fourth place. The Bears dance squad was less than a point from capturing the program's seventh state dance trophy.

Vernon Hills (90.77) was fifth in the final standings, followed by Burlington Central (90.32), St. Charles North (90.12) in sixth place, and Deerfield (88.18), who finished as the 8th best team in the state after both days of competition.

Meanwhile, Chicago Jones finished in ninth place with an 87.12. Grant High School (86.06) was tenth, Lincoln-Way Central earned an 84.68, good for 11th place, and Crystal Lake Central was awarded an 84.34 by judges in the season finale.

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Editor's Note: Our original story stated, "The Warriors, making their fifth consecutive state appearance, were last year's class 2A champions." This was incorrect. LWW qualified for state last year but missed the cut for the second day of competition as the story now states. We apologize for the error.

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SJO dance team competes at state

BLOOMINGTON - The St. Joseph-Ogden Dance Team performed at the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals last Friday. Five dancers gave their all, hoping to advancing to the Class 1A championship round on Saturday. Missing the cut by three places, SJO finished with a first-day score of 78.38, good for 15th place. Performing together, Reese Wheatley, Hadley McDonald, Olivia Getty, Samantha Beetz, and Abby Getty delivered what to be their best performance . Here's a few moments from their routine at this year's state competition.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Tigers tennis duos set to face first-round opponents today

Members of the Urbana High School tennis will be competing at the IHSA Girls Tennis State Finals today at Buffalo Grove and other surrounding high school sites. Doubles pair Lorilei Yau, Eisla Madigan, head coach Parker Sands, assistant coach Jeff Unger, and the doubles team of Luna Morales and Alisa Tangmunarunkit will represent the Tigers at the season finale event.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

BUFFALO GROVE - There's nothing like competing against the best athletes in the state. Urbana's #1 and #2 doubles pairs will put their training and mental stamina put to the test when they take the court in Day 1 competition at the Illinois High School Association's Girls Tennis State Final.

Tigers Alisa Tangmunarunkit and Luna Morales play their opening match against Sycamore's Jetta Weaver and Madyson Block at Schaumburg High School. Tangmunarunkit and Morales won the Danville championship title on Monday and later celebrated their Senior Night before spending Tuesday and Wednesday preparing for today's match.

Meanwhile, teammates Lorelie Yau and Eisla Madigan, also seniors, will begin their tournament play at Schaumburg High School, three and half miles away. Yau and Madigan, who finished fourth in the sectionals, will face Benet Academy duo Shane Delaney and Clare Lopatka.

After making her first tournament appearance last fall unseeded, University High's Kruthi Ramanath hard work and offseason work delivered dividends by way of a #3-4 seed into this year's Class 1A singles bracket. The sophomore will face Sacred Heart-Griffin senior Mary Kate Christie.

In her freshman-year foray into the IHSA tennis postseason, Ramanath won her first match over Illinois Math and Science Academy's Josie Kim, 6-0, 6-2. Advancing to the next round, she played admirably but ultimately eliminated from the bracket after a 6-3, 6-4 loss to then senior Savannah Web from Richmond-Burton.

State qualified: Urbana and Uni-High tennis players advance to state tennis tournament

Due to rain on Saturday and the lack of indoor court availability, the fate of two Urbana's doubles pairs was settled at Danville High School tennis sectional on Monday. While both qualified for state after serving their way into the semifinal round, all that was left was determing the third-place winners and this year's sectional champions.

Urbana tennis team ready to face all challengers this fall

"We are striving to be the most-improved team from day one until the end of the season," said Tigers' head coach Parker Sands on Tuesday during the team's second day of practice. Rain on Monday forced his first practice indoors to kick off his fifth season at the helm of the program. "We have already started practicing and giving our ..."

Photo-of-the-Day: December 29, 2021

Third best in the state

St. Joseph-Ogden's Peyton Crowe hugs teammate Bree Trimble after their Class 2A third place victory over Hillsboro at the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals in Normal on February 23, 2019. The Spartans led by as much as 26 points on their way to the program's best finish in school history. Crowe scored 13 points in the win, while Trimble put a team-high 28 points on the board. SJO ended the season with just one loss after the 68-53 win on Saturday. See more photos from this game.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Photo-of-the-Day: December 28, 2021

Audrey Hancock runs at the 2018 state XC

Unity takes third at state XC meet

Tolono Unity's Audrey Hancock runs at the 2018 Illinois High School Association Cross Country State Finals on Saturday, November 3, 2018. The junior finished her race in 53rd place overall, 35th in the race for team points, at 18:49.39. The Rockets' tallied 130 points to earn a third-place finish behind Eureka (first) and Rock Falls (second) at the season finale in Peoria. See more photos from this game.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Photo of the Day - December 11, 2020

Students from St. Joseph-Ogden High School cheer for their volleyball team during Game 1 of their championship semifinal match against Breese Mater Dei on November 15, 2019. The Spartans, who went to eventually place third, fell 25-20, 23-25, 25-22 to Knights in the program's third trip to the Illinois High School Association state tournament. Pictured left to right in the Maroon Platoon are seniors Jordan Kelly, Bailey Dowling, Payton Cain and Drew Coursey. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Photo of the Day - December 2, 2020

Photo of the Day - November 19, 2020

St. Joseph-Ogden dance team — Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden Dance Team compete the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals in January. Despite an excellent performance and a score of 76.88, the Spartans did not advance to Saturday's championship round after finishing in 21st place after the first day of Class 1A competition.
(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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