WHS drill team wins again
Wheeling High School’s step team, the Crucial Step Clique, accomplished a rare feat in the world of poms competitions: they won back-to-back state championships.
At the Illinois Drill Team Association’s championships on Saturday at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Wheeling’s steppers capped an undefeated season with their second straight state title.
In all, nearly 125 schools from throughout the state qualified their dance or flags teams, adding up to more than 150 performances.
The steppers category is a new division in competitive dance, that mixes stomp with hip hop, all while team members clap and stomp their feet in unison — and carry out a theme.
“It’s something different from the traditional poms and hip hop routines,” said Christopher Owens, a senior on Waubonsie Valley’s Diamond Steppers, which placed second. “It’s more cultural, and something you don’t get to see very often.”
Wheeling’s team members dressed as doctors in surgical scrubs, and performed on a mannequin as a patient and carted him off in a cardboard ambulance. The innovative routine earned them high scores for their creativity and musicality.
“We’re thrilled and excited,” said Coach Crystal Ellis, a math teacher at Wheeling High School. “They’ve worked so hard for this all year long.”
In the more traditional poms categories, Maine East High School won the Class AAA pom dance title, while Buffalo Grove High School came in fourth. Hinsdale South won the AAA pom title with their routine designed around love and marriage, after placing second in kick.
Among Class AA schools, St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights was the only regional school to place in the top 10. They came in sixth in pom dance.
Among flag teams, it was the tale of two programs. St. Charles East continued its state dominance in the activity. After winning three state titles last year, the squad came back this year and won the lyrical flag title.
However, Lake Zurich High School won their first championship, claiming the state title among tall flags teams. They finished ahead of Round Lake High School, which came in second and St. Charles East, which placed third.
“We’re over the moon,” said Lake Zurich Coach Libby Reimann, who worked with Eileen Pesce to prepare the team. “This is only our third year competing. They really came together at the right time.”
They performed their routine to the high-energy song, “Don’t Stop Me Now,” by Queen and adopted the song title as their team motto as they headed down the stretch toward the state competition.