Lemont Dance Posts Another Program-best Finish at IHSA State Finals

Head coach Jordan Fandrey’s Lemont High School’s Dance squad posted another program-best finish at the 2017 IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals, which were contested at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, Ill., on January 27-28. The Indians finished 14th of 25 teams at the competition, which improved on last year’s 15th-place finish and is the program’s best state finals finish since Competitive Dance became an IHSA-sponsored sport during the 2012-13 school year. Lemont was making its third state finals appearance in four years.

Lemont’s posted a preliminary round score of 86.94. It missed out on advancing to the second day of competition by less than two points; the top 12 teams from the preliminary round advance to the final day of competition.

The Indians finished fifth at one of two IHSA Class 2A Sectionals at Geneva High School on January 21 to advance to the IHSA State Finals. Lemont posted a score of 84.97 in sectional competition. Eisenhower (92.60) won the IHSA Sectional and put up the best score among all sectional competitors throughout the state. Batavia (89.93), Oak Forest (87.07), Hinsdale South (86.43) and Thornton (82.13) also qualified for state finals competition from Lemont’s sectional. The top six teams from each sectional advance to the IHSA State Finals.

Fandrey’s team includes seniors Mira Antonopoulos, Brooke Bulanda, Emie Choquette, Kirstin Cwik, Megan Dzimira, Madison Filippini, Teja Johnson, Emily Kirkolis, Aidan Korte and Melissa Moravek; juniors Sydney Bronner, Grace Chialdikas, Alexandra Galica, Hope Heeg, Gabriela Valles and Samantha Wrobel; and sophomores Angela Marseille, Julia Popper and Rachel Rumbaugh.

Lemont made its first IHSA State Finals appearance in 2014, when it finished 23rd of 30 teams. After a year’s hiatus, the Indians were 15th of 30 teams at the 2016 IHSA State Finals. The program previously had success in the TEAMDance Illinois State Championship and Illinois Dance Team Association State Finals. Lemont’s best finish ever in state competition came in 1996, when it was third in the Class AA Novelty category at the IDTA State Finals.

Competitive Dance is the fourth Lemont High School sport to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. The girls’ cross country team was 14th at the Class 2A State Finals; the boys’ golf team was 11th at the Class 2A State Finals; and Sylvia Kobylak competed at the IHSA Swimming State Finals.