The Belles competed in Division 5 Precision Jazz and Division 5 Pom at the state competition this year. Due to Liberty’s increase in enrollment, the Belles were moved from Division 4, a smaller division, into Division 5 this year, which puts them with larger schools. The change didn’t seem to faze the Belles as they took first place in both Jazz and in Pom on Feb. 26 at the Family Arena in St. Charles. 

“When they announced second place and we knew we won, it was so hard to keep our excitement bottled,” senior Molly Marino said. “When they called us, it was amazing. We were all screaming and tears of joy were coming from everyone’s eyes!”

The dancers showed up every day and put in hard work for game days and their competitions. At their other competitions this season, they won first in Jazz around the board, winning the choreography award at two out of three. They won first in Pom twice, but lost to Holt by half a point and got second. In the Game Day portion, they also won first twice and second once. 

“I’m so proud of our team, especially this season,” senior Bella Bahr said. “The biggest challenge was moving up a division because we had no idea what was in store.” Bahr has competed at state for all four years of her high school career and has won the title of State Champions three out of four times. 

“I can fully say I am so proud of the legacy being left behind,” Bahr said. “Seeing all of the hard work payoff and dancing every day with my best friends is a feeling I will miss, but I cannot wait to support the team for years to come in the future.”

This year’s title didn’t come to the team just because of the outstanding talent of the dancers, but because of the hard work and dedication they put in each day at practice.

“It is so amazing to win and have people see that all of the crazy stuff we do is worth it,” Marino said. “We work so hard all the time and sometimes with sports like us it goes unnoticed. I love the feeling knowing that all the work we put in was worth it.”

The morning practices, conditioning, and every game day proves the hard work these dancers put in and how much they deserve their title of Division 5 State Champions.