Unity's IHSA dance season comes to an end at state

BLOOMINGTON - Finishing in 18th place in preliminary competition at the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals, the Unity Dance Team's quest for an IHSA state trophy came to a disappointing end on Friday. The eight-person squad earned a score of 75.24, finishing behind St. Francis (15th, 76.96), IC Catholic (16th, 76.70), and Ridgewood (17th, 76.56).

Unity has qualified for state seven times. Hoping to improve on the program's best 6th place finish in 2019, placing in the top 12 on the opening day of competition would have been the dance team's fifth shot at a state trophy since 2015.

Three of the top four Class 1A teams from Saturday's championship round were in the same sectional meet with the Rockets, who turned in the eighth-best score out of 28 teams at St. Anthony a week earlier. Jacksonville won this year's 1A title besting Morris by five one-hundreth of a point with a 92.40. Highland finished third with a 90.91 and Marion came in fourth with 90.25.

Team members this season included Ava Holladay, Olivia Egelston, Lily Steffens, Stephanie Griffin, Anthony Chaney, Desiré DeLos Santos, Lindsay Johnson, and Kourtney Russell.