Lemont High School Dance Squad State-Bound for First Time

Lemont High School’s Dance program has been a regular competitor in state finals competition in recent years, but thanks to its performance in sectional competition, it has earned its first IHSA State Finals berth. Lemont finished sixth in one of two IHSA Class 2A Sectionals at Stagg High School on January 25 to punch its ticket to the 2013 IHSA Class 2A Competitive Dance State Finals, which will be contested on Friday, Jan. 31, and Saturday, Feb. 1, at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, Ill.

Led by head coach Stephenie Campanile, Lemont posted a score of 81.40
to finish sixth in its sectional. Geneva (90.60) won the sectional
crown, while Lincoln-Way West, Hinsdale South, Reavis and Argo also
advanced to the state finals from that sectional. In the other Class 2A
Sectional at Stagg, Bremen (83.00) took home the sectional title, while
Shepard, Oak Forest, Chicago King, Oak Lawn and Thornton all advanced as
well. The top six teams from each sectional advance to the IHSA State
Finals.

The preliminary rounds for Class 2A will begin at 3:15 p.m. on Friday,
with finalists announced at approximately 8:35 p.m. Class 2A’s final
round will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, with the awards ceremony
scheduled to follow at 4 p.m.

Tickets for the IHSA State Finals will be available at the door, and
are $10 for both children and adults (children in hand are free) each
session.

In addition to its state finals-qualifying effort in sectional competition, Campanile’s squad also finished as the South Suburban Conference runner-up and won contests at both Andrew and Wheaton North during the regular season.

The 2013-14 school year marks the second year of Competitive Dance as an IHSA-sponsored sport. Last year, Lemont’s Dance squad was fourth in the Class AA Open Dance category at the 2013 TEAMDance Illinois State Championship, which marked the program’s best placement in state competition in nearly 20 years. Lemont’s best finish ever in state competition came in 1996, when it was third in the Class AA Novelty category at the Illinois Dance Team Association State Finals.

Competitive Dance is the fifth Lemont High School sport to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. Sophomore Taylor Campos participated in the IHSA Class 2A Girls’ Cross Country State Finals; senior Bridget Lynn competed at the IHSA Class AA Girls’ Golf State Finals; junior Annette Lesnicki advanced to the IHSA Girls’ Swimming State Finals; and senior Lisa Gawron took part in the IHSA Girls’ Tennis State Finals.