A roster of 10 dancers helped St. Joseph-Ogden secure another trip to the state finals. As the Spartans prepare for their next shot at a state title, here is a look back at last year's performance.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Members of the SJO Dance Team perform their routine during the preliminary round at the state championships in 2025.
ST. JOSEPH - For the fourth consecutive season, the St. Joseph-Ogden competitive dance team will take the state stage. The Spartans secured a return trip to the Illinois High School Association Competitive Dance State Finals after finishing fourth Saturday at the Champaign Central Sectional. St. Joseph-Ogden posted a score of 81.20, earning one of the Class 1A qualifying spots and advancing to Friday’s preliminary round at Grossinger Motor Arena in Bloomington. This year’s SJO squad is made up of 10 dancers, blending underclass talent with experienced upperclass leaders. Freshmen Ava Buhr, Jillian Davis, Darby Manion and Leah Stephenson make up nearly half of the roster, joined by sophomore Ava Gallo. Juniors Lilly Sollars, Hadley McDonald and Alivia Learned bring prior state-level experience, while seniors Gracyn Sjoken and Abby Getty round out the lineup. The Spartans’ qualification continues a steady presence at the state level. Last season, St. Joseph-Ogden advanced out of the St. Anthony Sectional with a fourth-place finish before placing 16th out of 30 teams in the state preliminary round, falling four spots short of qualifying for the championship round. Under IHSA format, the top 12 teams in each division advance to Saturday’s finals. Also advancing from the Champaign Sectional in Class 1A were the Unity Rockettes, who finished third with a score of 83.93. Morton claimed the sectional title with an 89.30, while Clinton placed second at 88.57. Eureka and Fieldcrest completed the top six qualifiers. In Class 2A competition, sectional host Champaign Central earned the final state berth by finishing sixth with an 80.83, edging Mascoutah for the last qualifying position. Washington won the Class 2A title, followed by Bradley-Bourbonnais, Triad, Dunlap and Ottawa Township. Preliminary competition for the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals begins at 10:15 a.m. Friday in Bloomington. Admission is $17, with tickets available online through Ticketmaster. Live coverage of the event will also be available on the NFHS Network. Below is a look back at the SJO's performance at state dance in 2025.
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