The Bonney Lake Pantherettes once again brought their magic to the state drill competition, coming away with a state championship title in the show category.

The Panthettes faced down Lakes, Woodland and Sumner high schools, scoring an exceptional 260.90 points during the March 26 competition. The team was sent to state after placing first in the show category at districts. They also placed second in the military category.

“The team this year is a lot of new girls,” said second-season coach Lisa O’Brien. “They were willing to work hard and they did a great job coming together and getting the job done.”

The Pantherettes had five seniors, Regan Austin, Emily Burmeister, Katelynn Lackey, Lindsey O’Brien, and Kirsten Sterling, plus junior Brenna Bailey, who were able to show the ropes to the newcomers on the team, O’Brien said.

This isn’t the first time the Bonney Lake drill team has gone to state. Last year, the Pantherettes competed in the dance, military and pom categories at state, although they did not place.

In 2014, when Bonney Lake competed with other 4A schools, the Pantherettes came close to securing a state title in the military category, and the team did secure fourth place in the pom category in 2013. The Pantherettes went to nationals that year, where they earned two second place trophies.

For this year’s show category, the team put together an Alice in Wonderland-themed routine.

“The show routine itself is hard – it’s twice as long as other routines,” O’Brien explained. “It involved props and characters and a lot of extra time involved with learning it.”

O’Brien thanked the team’s choreographer, who O’Brien credits with the vision of the routine, and parent volunteers who put together all the costumes and props for the routine.

“There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears in making costumes and things like that,” she said. “The girls are amazing and the parents are amazing.”