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February 21, 2000
Cathedral Sonics happy with state titleBy TONY ZIEBOL Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- Losing may have been just what the Cathedral High School dance team needed. After finishing second to Yellow Medicine East in the section finals and again in the first competition Friday at the Class A state tournament in the Jazz/Funk category, the team was determined to win in the other category, High Kick/Precision held the next day in Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota. After all, Cathedral had defeated its section rivals twice this season, at an invitational where the team won both categories and again in a dual meet. The Cathedral team went on to dominate the high kick/precision category Saturday, as seven of the eight judges at the competition put them in first place. "So it was pretty clear who won the first place trophy," coach Peggy Wilfahrt said. Heidi Petersen, one of four senior captains on the team, said the losses helped them. "I think it really motivated us to practice harder because we knew were capable of winning," she said. "We couldn't take it for granted that we'd been winning all season." Winning is one thing Cathedral has done very effectively, placing no worse than second in 13 competitions and sweeping three dual meets. However, a state championship had always eluded them. Cathedral teams placed second in high kick/precision category, which is more of a team precision event with high kicks, at the state meet in 1998 and third in last year's jazz/funk category, which demands more turns, leaps, jazz moves and flexibility. Both the coach and the team members were obviously elated, a reward for practicing at least two hours a day, five days a week, often at 6:30 a.m. "I think I jumped pretty high (when the scores were announced) and the girls did, too," said Wilfahrt, who has been coaching the team for three years. It felt great. We've been waiting a long time. "You never know because it's in the judge's hands. Apparently we gave them what they wanted." Petersen agreed. "It was amazing," she said. "I didn't think it would every happen. I think it was our turn." Another team captain, Brittany Hillesheim, had been waiting four years for this, as well. "It feels really good for all the hard work that we've done," she said. After returning to New Ulm, the team was met by two police cars and a fire engine that escorted the team members, some who followed in their honking cars, down Broadway and Minnesota Streets. "The girls were real honored," Wilfahrt said.
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