SJO Dance Team finishes 11th in first state finals appearance

SJO's Dance Team closed out a breakthrough season with an 11th-place finish at the IHSA Class 1A State Finals, just two points shy of cracking the top ten.

---

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Members of the SJO Dance Team perform their routine at Grossinger Motors Arena during the IHSA Competitive State Dance Finals on Saturday. See more photos below.

---

BLOOMINGTON - The St. Joseph-Ogden Dance Team closed out its season Saturday with an 11th-place finish at the IHSA Class 1A Competitive Dance State Finals, capping a year of growth and perseverance that sent the Spartans into competition against the state's elite programs. SJO earned a score of 83.35 in the final round, finishing ahead of Murphysboro (83.02) and just shy of cracking the top ten behind Evergreen Park (85.14), while Joliet Catholic Academy claimed the championship trophy with a score of 92.28.

The Spartans qualified for the finals by posting the 10th-highest score in Friday's preliminary round at 83.92, securing their spot among the final 12 teams and performing third in Saturday's performance order. For a program competing at state for the first time and fielding a roster with five underclassmen among 10 team members, the experience of standing alongside perennial contenders like Jacksonville, the runner-up at 91.62, and Morris, third at 91.06, offered a glimpse of what sustained success requires at this level.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Coached by Alyssa Hudson, the team's routine was built around a metaphor of moving through adversity rather than avoiding it, choreographed to the song "Lightning Crashes" by Live and performed in costumes designed to evoke the chaos and color of a lightning storm. Hudson said the theme reflected the team's own journey this season, as they navigated the mental and physical challenges of competing at the highest level while building a program still in its infancy on the state stage.

"We learned a lot about moving through adversity as a team this year and we really leaned into that as our inspiration," Hudson said. "It feels so amazing to be in the state finals for the first time with the SJO dance program. We are happy to be here and we'll continue to grow the program every year."

Sophomore Ava Gallo, one of the underclassmen returning next season, said the team left everything on the floor despite falling short of a trophy. She pointed to mindset as a key area for improvement heading into next year's campaign, particularly when it comes to overcoming the mental barriers that can surface in high-stakes competition.

"We put in all the effort throughout the entire season, we went through ups and downs, and I feel like we literally put everything into this dance," Gallo said. "A positive mindset can really go a long way to push through all the mental blocks you have."

In addition to Gallo, this season's state qualifying team included seniors Abby Getty and Gracyn Sjoken; juniors Hadley McDonald, Lilly Sollars, Alivia Learned; and freshmen Darby Manion, Jillian Davis, Avary Buhr, and Leah Stephenson.

Hudson thanked the Spartans' fans, who brought light-up signs and energetic support throughout the season, and credited the administration at St. Joseph-Ogden for backing the program's growth. With the taste of state competition now behind them and a core of returning dancers ready to build on this year's foundation, the message from both coach and team was clear: this is just the beginning.

"We are upward and onward from here," Hudson said. "We are really excited."

---

More SJO Sports Articles

---

TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden dance team state finals results, SJO Spartans IHSA dance competition 2025, Class 1A competitive dance state championship Illinois, St. Joseph-Ogden first state dance appearance

---

~ Photo Gallery ~

SJO Dance Team at State

SJO Dance Team advances to state championship round for first time

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

Zerrusen's 22 points lead Unity past Rantoul

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.

---

More Unity Athletics Articles

---

TAGS: Unity Rockets beat Rantoul Eagles basketball, Kendal Zerrusen 22 points Unity basketball, Illini Prairie Conference girls basketball scores, Unity girls basketball win streak

Osterbur, Dahl lead St. Joseph-Ogden to 54-47 win over Williamsville

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

Black women hit hardest as DEI cuts and job losses reshape workforce

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

The Sentinel On This Day | January 29

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.

Read the article . . .

---

Sentinel Article Archive for January 15

---

Loading posts from this day…

---

~ More Articles ~

January 28 Archives

January 30 Archives

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

Photo of the Day | Duarte wrestles for 5th, beats Yeary at state meet

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