EDUCATION

State Silver: Galva dance team 2nd

Doug Boock

The Galva Junior High School dance team raises their poms with enthusiasm as they conclude their routine at the Illinois Dance Team Association state tournament on Saturday, The team, which won second place in the Pom category, included (kneeling, from left) Mariah Smith, Shayla Mille; (second row, from left) Madi Schupbach, Curran O’Riley, Leah Anderson; (third row, from left) Sammie Lain and Makayla Peterson. At the rear are Alexis Haga and Lauren Nordstrom.

Galva racked up 157 points – just 4.1 points short of champion Knoxville – to win second place in the Pom category of the Illinois Dance Team Association Junior High/Junior Varsity Finals at Bloomington High School on Saturday.

Galva easily outdistanced third place Akin Junior High, which earned 141.6 points of the possible 200 points.

Dancing to the song “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Go’s, Galva showed its growth through the season, to the great pleasure of co-coaches Melissa Sweat and Heather Meaker.

“Heather and I are extremely impressed with how the girls did on Saturday,” Sweat said Monday. “We have come a long way since the beginning of our season in August. These girls have worked very hard to get to where they are, and we are proud of their many accomplishments.”

Team members include captains Mariah Smith, Madi Schupbach and Leah Anderson, as well as Makayla Peterson, Curran O’Riley, Alexis Haga, Lauren Nordstrom, Shayla Mille and Sammie Lain.