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.
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.
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;
