LCHS Dance Team makes school history with State Championship

[February 18, 2020] 

The Railettes Dance Team of Lincoln Community High School made school history Saturday night by bringing home the first ever State Championship!

The Illinois Drill Team Association held its State Finals at the BOS Center in Springfield over the weekend and it was the Railettes winning the 2020 IDTA AA Pom State Championship.

The girls won the championship with their routine featuring the song “At the Hop” and yes, that would be the version from 1958 by Danny and The Juniors. The girls wore costumes that were a take on the ‘50s diner waitresses, complete with pink aprons. The routine was absolutely perfect. Every spin move was flawless. Every toss of the poms was spot on. Every leg kick was outstanding.

Timing is everything in dance and these ladies nailed it while flashing big smiles. Lincoln should be so proud of these talented individuals who came together to WOW the crowd.

The Railettes surround Coach Brande Montgomery following LCHS first Drill Team State title, AA Pom State Championship.

Lincoln should also be proud of Brande Montgomery, who is retiring at the end of the season after devoting 10 years to coaching the Railettes. Montgomery was recognized on Saturday by the IDTA for her dedication.

According to Montgomery over 100 Junior High, JV and Varsity teams competed at the 12 hour competition on Saturday. The Railettes competed in the AA Pom, Lyrical and Pom/Dance categories. In addition to the AA Pom State Championship, the Railettes placed 5th in Pom/Dance for their routine featuring the song, “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. For the Lyrical routine the girls performed to “Ashes” by Celine Dion but did not place.

Captains of the 2020 State Champion Railettes are Mia Hullinger and Emma Stoltzenburg and both were eager to talk about the team and Coach Brande Montgomery.

“This year has been an incredible last year for me personally,” said Stoltzenburg. “I loved being under the direction of Brande for not only the past four years but also since I was three years old. To end the year with a state championship is unbelievable, and the team and I couldn’t have done it without her. It was a surreal moment when the announcer called the Railettes as the champions. Brande is an incredible coach and deserves many praises.”

The State Champions!

Hullinger also sang the praises of Montgomery. “I have competed and danced under Brande Montgomery for four years, and it has been nothing but amazing,” began Hullinger. “She is and always will be the most hardworking and dedicated coach I will ever dance for. Brande is not only such a great coach but also a great human being. She sheds so much light on her dancers and makes everyone feel important and included. Her choreography is impeccable and it’s always exciting when she comes up with a dance for our halftime performances and our competition performances.

"Last year she had her first child, a daughter named EmmyLou, and let me tell you, we were so pumped to be getting another Railette on the team and it has been so amazing to see her cheer us on at various events and especially IDTA State the past two years.

"Brande is not only a coach to me, but also a second mom. She invests so much into her dancers and holds us at such a high standard. I can’t even explain how I feel when we absolutely nail a dance routine and I look over and see a big smile cross her face. When we won at the end of the IDTA State, Emma Stoltzenburg and I could not help but bawl our eyes out into Brande’s arms because we knew this would be the last time we danced under Brande’s name. We owe our first place in AA Pom to Brande because after three years of competing, we have finally come home with a first place finish for her, and we could not be more proud of the hard work we have put in this season.

"This year we had five new members to the competition team and although it was rough at the beginning of the season, it has been the best season I have had in the past three years. I love these girls more than anything, Emma Stoltzenburg, Bayleigh Gillum, Makayla Koehne, Julia Guzzardo, Lydia Roland, Rachel Morrow, Madeline Cook and Emma Boyd. I cannot thank these girls enough for a wonderful last season and I wish them the absolute best for their remaining Railette years.”

Hullinger also competed Friday night at IDTA State in the Solo category.

The Railettes brought home second place trophies in the AA Pom category in 2017 and 2019.

2020 Railettes

Coach Brande Montgomery

Emma Boyd
Madeline Cook
Bayleigh Gillum
Julie Guzzardo
Mia Hullinger
Makayla Koehne
Rachel Morrow
Lydia Roland
Emma Stoltzenburg
Managers: Abbi Montgomery and Kambrea McCree
Congratulations, Railettes, on your 2020 IDTA AA Pom State Championship!

[Teena Lowery with photos courtesy of Lane Hullinger]