Hayden Farry was all-in.
Her twin sister, Macie, not so much at first.
In the fall, Providence Catholic held a two-day tryout for its state-power competitive dance team and Hayden showed up all ready to go.
Macie did not show up the first day. Like her sister, she had been dancing most of her life. But as she got ready for her freshman year, she was torn about what she wanted to do at the New Lenox school. She was toying with the idea of running cross country and track.
“Hayden and I wanted to go our separate ways in high school,” Macie said. “We’ve obviously been really close. We wanted to try different things.”
Celtics coach Stephanie Coglianese coaxed Macie to come to the second day of tryouts.
So much for separate ways.
“I really liked it,” Macie said. “I liked the atmosphere around the team. I was nervous. It was my first time trying out for a varsity dance team.
“We both made the team and during the year, we all got close, and I wouldn’t want to be on any other team.”
The Farrys and the Celtics had a great season capped by winning the Illinois High School Association Class 1A state championship Feb. 1 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
Even though a few months have passed by, Coglianese said the team is still feeling happy and celebrating the win. Hayden Ferry said she still can’t believe it happened.
The New Lenox twins and fellow freshmen Alexandra Cokinos and Karina Porcelli were put into a high pressure situation right away.
The twins were used to pressure as they have been in national competitions with Mokena’s Street of Dreams Dance Studio.
But they had to learn a whole new set of ropes at Providence. Coglianese admits she runs a tough program and the result have been strong, winning the Class 1A state title in 2021 and 2025, taking fifth in Class 2A in 2024 and sixth in Class 2A in 2023.
“It was hard at first,” Hayden said. “As we got more into the season, we got more comfortable. This team was special.”
Coglianese said the twins are special as well.
“They are wonderful,” Coglianese said. “They are from a very wonderful family. When they came into the program, they definitely took everything in. Our program is rigorous and our expectations are high. We have a champion mindset.
“They grasped everything and took the time outside of practice to really improve their technique”
Performing all year to the Stevie Nicks song “Edge of 17,” the Celtics nailed it at state as they took first place in the preliminary round with a score of 93.56 and came back in the finals with a 94.66 while Jacksonville was second with a 93.26 and Morris third with a 92.90.
The setup at state has the final three teams announced with many dramatic pauses. Morris was announced as the third-place team and defending 1A champ Jacksonville was announced as the runnerup, leaving all of the other 10 second-day teams anxiously awaiting the final announcement.
Hayden said she started to cry, fearing the team didn’t make it. She apologized to one of the upperclassmen sitting next to her for letting the team down.
When Providence’s name was called, she cried again.
“I didn’t think we were going to win,” Hayden said. “But coach said we were the team to do it. That was probably one of the best days of my life, I would say. It was such an amazing moment — especially as a freshman.”
Lindsay Kos and Olivia Cantu were the lone senior leaders on the squad and Coglianese said they are going to be hard to replace.
Juniors Ava Englert, Chloe Hall, Emilia Kobylarczyk, Emma Arentz, Kendall Burkhart and Natalie Hill, and sophomores Lilly Andrews and Natalia Cybulski and the four freshmen rounded out the roster.
It was the 33rd IHSA state championship a Providence team has brought home.
The freshmen have goals of winning more titles however they are savoring the 2025 triumph.
“I’m never going to forget it, definitely,” Macie said. “It’s still going to be a day to remember, the best day of my life.
“And it was cool to experience it with my sister and we will remember it for the rest of our lives.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
