Grinnell Tiger Paws earn state championship

GRINNELL — The Grinnell Tiger Paws Dance Team is a state champion. The Paws won the 50th Annual State Dance/Drill Team Association’s Championships in Class IX Pom.

This is the third state title in Tiger Paw history and the first title in six years at the school.

In addition, the Tiger Paws earned sixth place in Class V jazz, fourth in Class VI hip-hop and fourth in Class III mix.

The team also received the academic achievement award for having a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5-4.0.

Dancing for Grinnell were Makenna Stahl, Farrah Pefferman Orstad, Laney LaCaeyse, MaCaeyla Snodgrass, Brooke Maschmeier, Chloe Stevenson, Emma Shawler, Brenna Sherman and Isabelle Holden. The Dance Team Coach is Sydney Bradford.

"I am incredibly proud of this group of dancers and their hard work and dedication to the team and these routines,” noted Coach Sydney Bradford, who is in her fourth year coaching the dance team.

“To watch them at State execute each routine the best they ever had was so fun to watch as a coach and seeing their hard work pay off by becoming State Champions is just icing on the cake. They are the hardest working athletes with the longest season of any sport at the high school and yet they show up every day with positivity, determination and such a passion for dance and their teammates.

“I am proud to be their coach,” said Bradford. “Now we shift gears to get ready for Nationals in February."

The Tiger Paws Dance Team did not qualify for nationals but will attend the event Feb. 4-10.