Colombia Eagles wins small school cheerleading title

Colombia Cheerleader performs at State
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

BLOOMINGTON - Members of the Columbia High School cheerleading team perform during Friday's preliminary competition at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals. The Eagles went on to win this year's state title on Saturday battling against the nine top teams in the state in the Small School Division. Earning the division top score of 93.82, Columbia finished ahead of Breese Mater Dei (90.84) in second place, and St. Francis (90.60) in third.

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



Providence Catholic leads Class 2A prelims at IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals

Providence Catholic Dancing Celtics
Members of the Providence Catholic dance team strike their finale pose at the 2025 IHSA Competitive Dance State Finalson Friday. The Dancing Celtics finished the first day of competition as the Class 2A leaders.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

BLOOMINGTON - Providence Catholic danced its way to the top of the Class 2A preliminary standings at the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals on Friday, posting a 93.56 score to lead the field at Grossinger Motors Arena.

The Dancing Celtics, who placed fifth in last year’s finals, improved upon their 2024 preliminary standing by one spot and will look to claim the program’s first state title in Saturday’s championship round.

Morris secured the No. 2 position for the second straight year, earning a 92.34 score with their polished routine. Jacksonville, the reigning state champion, followed closely behind in third at 91.12, setting up a potential battle for the podium among the top three.


Morris Dance Team
Performing a hip hop routine, the Morris Varsity Dance team finished this year's state prelims in second place.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

A tight race for the remaining top-five spots saw Montini (89.36), Carmel (89.30) and Highland (89.26) separated by less than a tenth of a point, underscoring the level of competition heading into the final round.

Evergreen Park (88.14), Marion (87.32), Joliet Catholic Academy (87.00), Nazareth Academy (86.84), Sycamore (86.00) and Clinton (85.18) rounded out the 12-team field advancing to Saturday's final.

With four of last year’s top five teams once again among the top performers, the 2025 championship showdown will feature familiar contenders at this year's state championships.

2025 Class 2A Preliminary Standings:
1. Providence Catholic – 93.56
2. Morris – 92.34
3. Jacksonville – 91.12
4. Montini – 89.36
5. Carmel – 89.30
6. Highland – 89.26
7. Evergreen Park – 88.14
8. Marion – 87.32
9. Joliet Catholic Academy – 87.00
10. Nazareth Academy – 86.84
11. Sycamore – 86.00
12. Clinton – 85.18

The Class 2A championship round begins Saturday morning.


The field for the Class 1A Dance State Finals set, The state's top programs ready to showcase their talent

The JCA Angels perform at the state dance finals
Joliet Catholic Academy dance team competes during the preliminary round at the 2024 IHSA Competitive State Dance Finals. The Angels return to state this weekend for another shot at an elusive state crown.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

BLOOMINGTON — Thirty of Illinois’ top small-school dance programs will take center stage this Friday at Grossinger Motors Arena for the 2025 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Competitive Dance State Finals. These elite teams earned their spots through five sectionals held across the state, and they now set their sights on bringing back a state trophy to their school.

With high energy, intense competition, and a legacy of excellence on the line, the 2025 IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals promise to deliver another thrilling chapter in Illinois high school dance history.

The road to Bloomington was anything but easy, with each sectional producing standout performances. Jacksonville and Highland took home sectional titles at St. Anthony High School in Effingham, while Morris edged out Providence Catholic and Joliet Catholic Academy to claim top honors at the Mahomet-Seymour sectional. Evergreen Park narrowly defeated Nazareth Academy at Maine East, posting an 85.17 to Nazareth’s 84.33. Montini secured its ticket to state with a razor-thin .73-point victory over Sycamore at the Sycamore sectional.

Members of the Morris Varsity Poms perform their show routine at the 2024 state finals prelims on the way to a second place trophy a day later at Grossinger Motor Arena.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Familiar Faces Return to the Finals
Fans attending this weekend’s competition will recognize several programs from last year’s Class 1A state finals, as all ten 2024 finalists are back in the mix. The list includes defending champion Jacksonville, as well as Morris, Providence Catholic, Carmel, Nazareth Academy, Marion, Sycamore, Highland, Clinton, Glenbard South, and St. Viator.

Last year, Jacksonville dazzled the judges with an expressive lyrical routine in the finals, overcoming an initial third-place finish in the preliminary round to secure its second consecutive state title with a score of 90.70. Morris, which finished as runner-up (89.96), will be looking to close the gap this year, while Carmel (89.44), Joliet Catholic Academy (89.01), and Providence Catholic (88.52) round out last year’s top five.

Jacksonville Dance team performs at IHSA state
Dancers from Jacksonville perform during the Friday's prelim on last January. The J'ettes went on to win the Class 1A state title.

Jacksonville’s J’ettes return with hopes of making it three straight championships. Their winning performance last year, set to a lyrical routine in flowing light taupe dancewear, captivated judges with its artistry and emotional depth. Morris, known for its powerful, athletic modern dance style, will try to breakthrough after back-to-back runner-up finishes. Carmel, which wowed fans with an energetic modern dance routine from their 13-member troupe last year, also returns to contend for the title.
A High-Stakes Competition Awaits
With a field packed with talented, seasoned programs, this year’s finals promise to be as competitive as ever. While perennial powerhouses Jacksonville and Morris enter as favorites, teams such as Joliet Catholic Academy, Providence Catholic, and Nazareth Academy have worked hard to improve to improve their precision, musicality, and overall execution, to finish in one of the top three spots.

Event Schedule and Ticket Information
The Class 1A competition kicks off Friday morning, with doors opening at 9:15 a.m. The first performance is set for 10:15 a.m., with the final routine scheduled for 2:21 p.m. The top teams from the preliminary round will advance to Saturday’s finals, with finalists announced at 2:40 p.m.

Providence Catholic dancers execute a stunt in their preliminary round performance. The Dancing Celtic return the state finals looking to improve on their 5th place finish in 2024.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Fans eager to witness the state’s best high school dance teams in action can purchase tickets for $12 per person. Digital tickets are available for purchase online or by calling the City Box Office at 309-434-2777.

Attendees should be aware that Grossinger Motors Arena enforces a clear bag policy. All bags, purses, and personal items will be subject to search upon entry. If an item is prohibited or too large, guests must return it to their vehicle or surrender it at the entrance, as the venue does not provide storage for oversized items.



Photo Gallery |
Mahomet-Seymour wins semifinal over DePaul

NORMAL - Mahomet-Seymour's Ellie Barker cheers with teammates Ava Yeakel, Erin Dallas and Anna Streicher after a point during second set action against DePaul College Prep during Friday's semifinal match at CEFCU Arena. The Bulldogs advanced to the title game after defeating the Rams in straights 25-18, 25-22. A day later, Mahomet-Seymour went on to win the Class 3A title, beating Limestone in an exciting three-setter 22-25, 25-22, 25-18. Below are 21 more photos from the opening match.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks


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Keywords: Mahomet-Seymour State Volleyball Champions, DePaul Rams, State Volleyball, Mahomet Volleyball Team

State Volleyball |
Calhoun sweeps Cissna Park to reach state volleyball championship match

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Kate Zipprich along with teammates Joy Hurley and Stella Gress celebrates Calhoun's semifinal victory over Cissna Park. The Warriors advance to Saturday's 1A title match in their program's first appearance in the volleyball state tournament.

NORMAL — The Calhoun Warriors wasted no time securing their spot in the Class 1A state volleyball championship, dispatching the Cissna Park Timberwolves in just 47 minutes during the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals at CEFCU Arena on Friday. The Warriors swept the semifinal match 25-16, 25-23, advancing to face Stockton for the state title.

Calhoun (38-2) controlled the match from the first whistle, seizing an early 5-0 lead in the opening set before Cissna Park (35-4) could get on the board with a kill from Sophie Duis. Powered by a balanced offensive attack and sharp defensive execution, the Warriors extended their lead to 17-7 after a powerful strike by Kate Zipprich. The Timberwolves struggled to recover, as Calhoun maintained their grip to close the set 25-16.

"It's been a remarkable season," Cissna Park head coach Josh Landon said after the game. "The grit and determination these girls have had all season long speaks for itself in terms of the deficits we have been able to overcome all year. I really felt like we put ourselves in a good situation despite losing that first set."

Regrouping for the second set, Cissna Park showed the resilience over and over again that Landon highlighted.

The Timberwolves traded points with Calhoun in a tightly contested battle featuring six ties in the first 14 points. Midway through the set, Cissna Park surged to a four-point lead, but the Warriors responded. With setter Lacy Pohlman orchestrating a crucial five-point run, Calhoun regained momentum, turning a 17-14 deficit into a 19-17 lead. From there, the Warriors maintained their composure to secure the two-set sweep.

"The handful of teams we played at the end of the season were outside dominate," Landon said. "They (Calhoun) possessed a middle attack we hadn't seen in several weeks. I'm not going to say that's the reason we weren't able to be successful today. We talked about defending that but you can talk all you want about defending a certain aspect of their game, but then it is a matter of executing it.

"We did that at times, and at times, we did not."

Zipprich paced Calhoun with 9 kills, while Joy Hurley added 8 and Abby Johnes contributed 6. Pohlman registered 24 assists, and Josie Hoagland led the defensive charge with 9 digs. Annie Wilson added 7 digs in a strong supporting effort.

For Cissna Park (35-4), Addison Lucht led all scorers with 12 kills and 6 digs. Duis and Josie Neukomm each contributed 6 kills, while Mady Marcott and Ella Schluter combined for 24 assists. Defensively, Kendyl Neukomm tallied 9 digs to anchor the Timberwolves’ back row.

Lucht, a junior who leads the team in kills with 351 heading into the state semifinal, said the loss, while disappointing, shouldn't ruin the team's championship weekend.

"There are hundreds of teams that wish they were in our shoes right now. I think we should take a step back and realize what a successful season we've had," she explained. The goal now being to come out with "a fresh mind and win the third place trophy."

Calhoun will meet Stockton, another first-time finalist, in the championship match on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

"This is what we have been working for. It's kind of a dream come true," Zipprich said beaming ear-to-ear. "All these girls are like my best friends. To be here with them, it can't get much better than this."

Hurley is confident in her team outlok against the Lady Blackhawks. Her conviction is backed by 240 kills, 43 aces and 196 digs in addition to the stats she racked up against the Timberwolves.

"We will get out there and do what we know how to do," she said confidently. "We set a goal at the beginning of the season and we are going to make it happen."

Meanwhile, Cissna Park looks to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish when they face Hartsburg-Emden in the third-place match at 9 a.m.


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KEYWORDS: IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals, Calhoun Warriors, Cissna Park Timberwolves


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