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At first glance, the Forest Lake dance team looks like nearly every other Ranger squad. Too many athletes are fighting it out with the cold and flu season, and the competition ain’t easy.
Upon further review, the call stands. The dancers are exactly like the rest of the winter sports teams.
Last weekend the Rangers were part of the Maple Grove Invitational, and just like their experience the week before, there were plenty of top teams roaming the gym.
“At Maple Grove we placed eighth out of 10 teams in jazz, (and) seventh of 10 in kick,” assistant coach Cheryl Smoczyk shared.
The gracious hosts cleaned up in every single category, taking first in both varsity and junior varsity, kick and jazz.
“We were proudest that we got a fourth-place ranking in kick from one judge!” Smoczyk said.
Against all of those big dog programs, Forest Lake will take what it can get.
On Monday evening, the competition moved back to the Suburban East Conference and down to Cretin-Derham Hall. If its not Maple Grove setting the standards and getting the high scores, then its Mounds View doing the same in the SEC.
The Mustangs’ impressive reputation was well deserved, as it left members of the crowd mumbling in appreciation. As for the Rangers, they had their share of sick teammates and also made mistakes with spacing.
“We were proud of our performances, but sad that we took third in kick and fourth in jazz,” head coach Angie Nelson said. “We feel we could be second in kick and third in jazz, and most of the judges disagree.”
Nelson explained how it seems the Rangers always have one judge in their corner, but the rest of the panel votes another way.
“Now we need to convince all the judges that Forest Lake is no longer average,” she added. “No more small slips with spacing and memory will help make our case to the judges. We can do that.”
Coming up on Monday, Jan. 21, the dancers will be in Stillwater for the conference finals, before traveling to Mounds View on Jan. 26 for another invitational.
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