Lynx dance team receives consecutive state runner-up

The Brandon Valley dance team is “pommed” out after several weeks of fine-tuning their most challenging routine of the season and readying it for state.

Their pom perseverance paid off when the Lady Lynx took first in that division at the Class AA State Competitive Dance Championships Saturday at Rapid City, beating season-long rival Sioux Falls Washington in the process. 

“Beating Washington in general didn’t happen all year,” said dance team memberEmily Wendt. “It was a really good feeling.”

Wendt and teammate Regan Bly agreed: That victory was almost as sweet as a state title would have been – and the Lynx came close.

When the scores were tallied, Washington walked away with the grand champion win – but Brandon Valley happily accepted the runner-up trophy, the team’s second in two years. 

Brandon Valley High School hosted a welcome home celebration Sunday night for the Lady Lynx cheer and cross country teams, both of which won state championships Saturday, as well as the Lady Lynx dance team. 

Randy Marso, BV’s activities director, described waiting for the results at the state dance meet.

“Washington had won two categories, and we had won two categories, and then they announced BVHS as the runner-up. It’s not what we wanted to hear, but out of the last six years, we’ve been runner-up four times and state champions once, so it was a huge, huge accomplishment,” Marso said. “My Lynx pride meter is already overflowing.”

The team began the season with goals to defend its sixth consecutive ESD conference title and place in the top three at state competition. 

“We were extremely satisfied with what we came home with,” Kuhn said. “We thought this would be a rebuilding year after losing four seniors. We set goals in the beginning but we weren’t reaching really high. When the girls started getting better and better, we started wanting that win at state.”

The 2017 Lady Lynx dance team is also one of the smallest Brandon Valley has ever had – just 11 members, and one out for the season with a knee injury.    

But none of these obstacles stopped the Lady Lynx from repeating their 2016 success and delivering a state runner-up-winning performance.

In addition to pom, the Lady Lynx placed first in the kick division – their strongest routine of the season.

“We are so excited to have won two of our three divisions,” Kuhn said. “It was a matter of a few points between first and second rankings. The team had few errors and performed the best in each routine they have all season long. As a coach, you can’t ask for more than the efforts this team put on the floor. They gave it everything they had, and I couldn’t be more proud of their season as a whole. 

“Honestly, it was the best day yesterday to be a Lynx.” 

Kuhn also congratulated senior captain and four-year team member Hailey Stengel on her leadership. 

“(She) has led our team with poise all season, mentoring and motivating each team member to be her best for the team,” she said.

“It’s been quite the year. It’s unreal that it’s over,” Stengel said. “We’re more than a team; we’re just like family. We’re together all hours of the day, whether we want to be or not. Nothing compares to being with family on and off the court. Either way, we make it through.”

 

Grand Champion Dance: 1.) SF Washington 289.17; 2.) Brandon Valley 283; 3.) SF Roosevelt 275.5; 4.) Huron 269.67; 5.) Harrisburg 261.5; 6.) Watertown 260.17’ 7.) SF Lincoln 248.67; 8.) Spearfish 241; 9.) RC Stevens 240; 10.) RC Central 238.

Kick: 1.) BV 279; 2.) Watertown 266.5; 3.) Harrisburg 250; 4.) Yankton 248; 5.) SFL 244; 6.) Spearfish 241.5; 7.) RCC 234.5; 8.) Pierre 234; 9.) O’G 215; 10.) Brookings 203; 11.) Sturgis 147.5.

Pom: 1.) BV 286; 2.) SFW 283; 3.) Harrisburg 281.5; 4.) SFR 276; 5.) Watertown 274.5; 6.) RCS 257.5; 7.) Huron 253.5; 8.) O’G 248; 9.) Spearfish 243; 10.) RCC 230; 11.) Pierre 227.5; 12.) Yankton 225.5; 13.) Mitchell 205.5; 14.) Brookings 204; 15.) AC 203.

Jazz: 1.) SFW 297.5; 2.) BV 284; 3.) Huron 274.5; 4.) SFR 271.5; 5.) SFL 261.5; 6.) Harrisburg 253; 7.) RCS 245; 8.) Watertown 239.5; 9.) Yankton 238; 10.) Mitchell 220; 11.) AC 201; 12.) Sturgis 164.

Hip Hop: 1.) SFW 287; 2.) Huron 281; 3.) SFR 279; 4.) RCC 249.5; 5.) SFL 240.5; 6.) Spearfish 238.5; 7.) Pierre 223.5; 8.) Mitchell 222; 9.) Brookings 220; 10.) RCS 217.5; 11.) AC 203; 12.) O’G 194.5; 13.) Sturgis 165.5.

thought this would be a rebuilding year. We set goals in the beginning but we weren’t reaching really high. When the girls started getting better and better, we started wanting that win at state.”

The 2017 Lady Lynx dance team is one of the smallest Brandon Valley has ever had – just 11 members, and one out for the season with a knee injury. The team also had only one senior, compared to four last fall.   

None of these obstacles stopped the Lady Lynx from repeating their 2016 success and delivering a state runner-up-winning performance.

Kuhn congratulated Wendt and senior team captain Hailey Stengel for their leadership. 

“It’s been quite the year. It’s unreal that it’s over,” Stengel said. “We’re more than a team; we’re just like family. We’re together all hours of the day, whether we want to be or not. Nothing compares to being with family on and off the court. Either way, we make it through.”

Marso complimented Stengel on her leadership, too.

“I’ve seen Hailey through the years. Not only does she have passion and dignity, but she’s also wonderful as a senior captain,” he said. “My Lynx pride meter is already overflowing.”

In addition to pom, the Lady Lynx placed first in the kick division – their strongest routine of the season.

“Kudos to whoever picked the music for kick,” Marso said. “When you are struck by the emotion of the music before you’ve even seen the dance, and then you put the dance with the music and you’re even more struck, that’s pretty cool.”

“Honestly, it was the best day yesterday to be a Lynx,” Kuhn said. 

 

Grand Champion Dance: 1.) SF Washington 289.17; 2.) Brandon Valley 283; 3.) SF Roosevelt 275.5; 4.) Huron 269.67; 5.) Harrisburg 261.5; 6.) Watertown 260.17’ 7.) SF Lincoln 248.67; 8.) Spearfish 241; 9.) RC Stevens 240; 10.) RC Central 238.

Kick: 1.) BV 279; 2.) Watertown 266.5; 3.) Harrisburg 250; 4.) Yankton 248; 5.) SFL 244; 6.) Spearfish 241.5; 7.) RCC 234.5; 8.) Pierre 234; 9.) O’G 215; 10.) Brookings 203; 11.) Sturgis 147.5.

Pom: 1.) BV 286; 2.) SFW 283; 3.) Harrisburg 281.5; 4.) SFR 276; 5.) Watertown 274.5; 6.) RCS 257.5; 7.) Huron 253.5; 8.) O’G 248; 9.) Spearfish 243; 10.) RCC 230; 11.) Pierre 227.5; 12.) Yankton 225.5; 13.) Mitchell 205.5; 14.) Brookings 204; 15.) AC 203.

Jazz: 1.) SFW 297.5; 2.) BV 284; 3.) Huron 274.5; 4.) SFR 271.5; 5.) SFL 261.5; 6.) Harrisburg 253; 7.) RCS 245; 8.) Watertown 239.5; 9.) Yankton 238; 10.) Mitchell 220; 11.) AC 201; 12.) Sturgis 164.

Hip Hop: 1.) SFW 287; 2.) Huron 281; 3.) SFR 279; 4.) RCC 249.5; 5.) SFL 240.5; 6.) Spearfish 238.5; 7.) Pierre 223.5; 8.) Mitchell 222; 9.) Brookings 220; 10.) RCS 217.5; 11.) AC 203; 12.) O’G 194.5; 13.) Sturgis 165.5.