A member of the Providence Catholic cheer team floats through the air on a tumbling run at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals during Friday's prelims.
BLOOMINGTON - After a disappointing performance in 2024, when the team failed to make the finals, Providence Catholic is back where it belongs—in the running for a state cheerleading title. The Celtics are due for another top-three finish.
"We have been on a mission moving on to day two that started 372 days ago," said three-year head coach Bridget Fox after learning the Celtics advanced to Saturday's title round at the 2024-25 IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals. "We have seven seniors who have felt loss and triumph. They were really determined to make it this year."
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Celtic cheerleaders deliver fierce performance at state. The squad looks to impress judges again to bring home state hardware.
Friday morning, before thousands of competitive dance fans and their peers, the Celtics delivered an impressive performance. The message they sent to the other teams was clear: If you are going to beat us this year, you are going to have to be close to perfect.
Providence Catholic finished the preliminary round in third place after a strong performance in the Medium School division. Earning a score of 94.21, the Celtics cheer squad missed the top spot by 0.29 of a point. Grayslake Central finished the day as the division leader with a 94.50, and Oak Forest landed in second place with a 94.26.
The Providence Catholic cheerleading team has qualified for 17 IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals in the past 20 years. Today at Grossinger Motors Arena, the Celtics claimed their 11th top-10 appearance in the state series.
The program has won one title (2013) and brought home two second-place (2007, 2016) and two third-place (2011-14) trophies.
This year's squad includes Annie Smith, Ava Chevalier, Caleigh Cumbee, Elissa Haddad, Emma Jirik, Fiona Warner, Grace Ogarek, Hayden Kinsella, Isabella Alejo, Kailey Velasco, Katelyn Walker, Lauren Lanz, Lilly Dillman, Lily Ingram, Lucy Lombardo, Madison Ternik, Mia Zvejnieks, Mia Piano, Payton Jerik, Reese Guzior, Rowan Tone, Sofia Felice, Violet Hassan and Zoey Xydakis.
Tickets for Saturday's finals competition are $12 at the door and can be purchased in advance online via TicketMaster or by phone at the City Box Office at (309) 434-2777.
Schedule for Saturday
Small & Medium School Competition
10:00 a.m. - Doors of the arena open to public
10:55 a.m. - Welcome & National Anthem
11:00 a.m. - Small and Medium Team Finals
(Small and Medium team performances alternate)
12:45 p.m. - Small Team Awards
1:15 p.m. - Medium Team Awards
Top ten teams advancing to Saturday's Finals
1 - Grayslake Central 94.50
2 - Oak Forest 94.26
3 - Providence Catholic 94.21
4 - Morris 93.88
5 - Cary-Grove 91.68
6 - Benet Academy 91.19
9 - Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge 90.20
10 - Lemont 89.79
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.
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.
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.
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.
A Lemont cheerleader poses at the top a stunt during her teams routine at state cheer in Bloomington. The team rallied back from tenth place on day one to first to win this year's title.
BLOOMINGTON - Whoops! They did it again. The Lemont cheer team made state history on Saturday by capturing the title in the Medium School Division at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals. It marked their second consecutive victory and a state-record 16th trophy for the program.
In a story that will become school legend, Lemont rebounded from a shaky opening performance in the preliminary round on Friday. The team squeezed into the finals, finishing 10th, just 0.34 points ahead of Lake Forest and trailing the Crystal Lake schools Prairie Ridge and Central. After a couple of near drops early in their routine, their performance turned timid, lacking the usual energetic vigor.
Nearly 24 hours later, the team achieved the improbable, soaring from last place to a state title. Never before in Illinois state finals history has a cheer team so dramatically reversed their fortunes, going from the lowest score in prelims to the highest in the finals.
Lemont scored 89.79 on Friday and surged to 97.50 for the title. Providence Catholic, who tallied 94.21 in preliminaries, improved to 97.22 to secure second place. Grayslake Central took third with 93.54. The Rams led the division after the first day with 94.50.
Lemont, along with Lockport Township, Oak Forest, Sandburg, and Conant High Schools, are the only five programs to qualify for state every year since the IHSA adopted the sport. Together, these programs have maintained a storied 20-year tradition of 'making it to state'.
Medium School Division Final Results
1 Lemont 97.5
2 Providence Catholic 97.22
3 Grayslake Central 93.54
4 Morris 93.09
5 Oak Forest 92.15
6 Benet Academy 91.86
7 Highland 91.16
8 Prairie Ridge 89.7
9 Crystal Lake Central 89.24
10 Cary-Grove 89.06
CHAMPAIGN - Providence Catholic's Jasper Harper celebrates his 10-7 sudden victory win over Brother Rice's Frank Miceli in their Class 2A 157-pound consolation semifinal match at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals on Saturday. Harper advanced to the third place match to face St. Ignatius' Nate Sanchez. Click here to see more Sentinel IHSA state wrestling coverage.
DePaul's Hunter Wahtola celebrates his 2-1 decision over Bloomington's David Williams. The sophomore continued his run through the blood rounds in his second state appearance to finish third at this year's state wrestling tournament. CHAMPAIGN - Representing DePaul College Prep this weekend on Illinois wrestling's biggest stage, Hunter Wahtola battled his way through the consolation bracket for a third-place finish at the IHSA Boys Individual Wrestling State Finals on Saturday. Staying determined and tenacious, he overcame the physically demanding battles from equally motivated opponents in the heavyweight division.
Wahtola entered the State Farm Center with a solid 31-10 record, eager to surpass his freshman year performance where he wrestled at 215 pounds and faced a tough draw in the bracket. This season, with improved technical finesse and increased strength, he left no doubt about his prowess on the mat, finishing the season with 36-11.
Wahtola's season-long journey culminated in a series of victories at state that also earned him All-State honors.
His path to the podium was marked by resilience and smart wrestling. Wahtola's campaign at state saw him triumph in five out of six matches. His pivotal matches included decisive victories over formidable opponents, including an 11-6 victory over Cary-Groves' Lucas Burton (30-5) and a 6-1 decision over St. Rita's Pat Conneely (18-13). Demonstrating his ability to perform under pressure, his attention to detail and strong work ethic in the off-season paid dividends.
Going nose-to-nose, Hunter Wahtola didn't back down from Bloomington's David Williams in thrilling match that ended 2-1 in his favor.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
In his bronze medal match against Anthony Sebastian of Elmhurst (IC Catholic), Wahtola used his head and his brawn. Utilizing the first period to assess his opponent, Wahtola scored on an escape in the second period, followed by a pivotal takedown that solidified his lead. With a scoreless third period, he clinched the victory with a 4-0 decision, securing the third-place spot on the podium.
Wahtola did not travel downstate to Champaign alone. Also competing for DePaul College Prep against the top wrestlers in the state were teammates Nabiel Rosario and Max Rosen. Rosario, competing at 132 pounds, concluded his season with a commendable 33-13 record. He dropped his preliminary round match and bounced back to win his first-round wrestleback, getting a tech fall on Waterloo's Konnor Stephens. The senior was then majored in his next match against Deerfield's Jackson Palzet (50-3).
Meanwhile Rosen, wrestling at 144 pounds, finished at 32-11 after going 2-2 at state. His first victory over Matton's Ben Capitosti (45-7) was settled via a 5-2 decision. He picked up a second win after his quarterfinal loss, pinning Civic Memorial's Nathen Herrin (34-17) at 4:36.
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