Dancers win conference title

The Brainerd Warrior dance team clinched the Central Lakes Conference Dance Team Championship title Tuesday at St. Cloud Tech High School.

Brainerd won the jazz funk competition and placed second in high kick to be claimed the overall winner of the conference.

Head Coach Cindy Clough said Brainerd went into the conference competition sitting in first place. Brainerd had this advantage as the team won the conference kick and jazz meets earlier this season, earning conference points.

Coming into the CLC meet, Brainerd had 18 conference points, Sartell had 16 and St. Cloud Tech had 14.

"It was great coming into the meet in first place but it can easily flip with the double weighted scores on conference night so you really have to be on top of your game," said Clough.

Clough said the Warriors won by a landslide in jazz. Brainerd earned top honors with all, except one, of the judges.

"We clearly dominated in jazz," said Clough. "We knew going into the season that this will be the first year we'll be stronger in jazz than in kick. We have a strong jazz routine."

After Brainerd in jazz funk, Sartell placed second; St. Cloud Tech, third; Rocori, fourth; Cloud Apollo, fifth; Sauk Rapids-Rice, sixth; Fergus Falls, seventh; Alexandria, eighth; and Willmar, ninth.

Clough said it was a big upset to earn second place in kick, behind St. Cloud Tech. Clough said Brainerd beat Tech throughout the season and the conference competition was so close. The Warriors lost by only one rank point.

"St. Cloud Tech even told us 'I thought you were going to win it,'" said Clough. "We had more total points than they did, but the judging system this time didn't go in our favor."

The high kick results were St. Cloud Tech, first; Brainerd, second; Sartell, third; Rocori, fourth; St. Cloud Apollo, fifth; Alexandria, sixth; Sauk Rapids-Rice, seventh; Willmar, eighth; and Fergus Falls, ninth.

Warriors who were named all-conference dancers in jazz were Brittany Schubert, Alyssa Marlatt, Grace Gilbertson, Lilly Anderson, Brianna Neimeyer and Ashley Davis and earning honorable mention were Becca Schubert and Tayler Satre.

Warriors who were named all-conference dancers in kick were Schubert, Marlatt, Davis, Anderson, Katie Scholl and Becca Schubert and earning honorable mention were Kate Anderholm and Jordynn Beckman.

The Warriors now will fight for a chance to compete at the state tournament, which will be Feb. 12-13 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Brainerd will compete in Section 4-3A dance meet Saturday at Elk River High School. The top three teams in each category at sections will advance to state.

Clough said the team members will fine tune their skills before the section meet. Clough said the teams to beat will be Blaine and St. Cloud Tech in both categories and Elk River also will be tough in kick and Anoka will be tough in jazz.

"Blaine is the only team we have not beat in jazz in our section," said Clough. "They're always strong and place in the top six in the state."

Doors at the section meet will open at 11 a.m., with the jazz competition beginning at noon and the high kick competition beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students.

Competing in kick, in order of performance, will be Duluth East, Coon Rapids, St. Francis, Champlin Park, Andover, Brainerd, Blaine, Elk River, Moorhead, St. Cloud Tech and Anoka.

Competing in jazz, in order of performance, will be Champlin Park, Brainerd, Blaine, St. Francis, Elk River, Andover, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Moorhead, Duluth East and St. Cloud Tech.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.