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Comps of the Week: 1/18/25

Updated: Jan 20

By William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief


The show choirs are back out in force this weekend. After soft launches to the season last week, both Iowa and the Heartland are in full swing this weekend. Nebraska comes out of the gate swinging with four competitions as well. The weekend as a whole is a rebound from a 2024 weekend that was almost entirely wiped out by snow.


Beavercreek Midwest Show Choir Classic

The Lineup (choirs from Ohio unless noted)

Large Mixed: Grove City “Touch of Class”, Lebanon “Singers”, Loveland “By Request”, Noblesville “NHS Singers” (IN), Olentangy “Keynotes”, Piqua “The Company”, Solon “Music in Motion”, Teays Valley “Prominent Rendition”

Small Mixed: Benjamin Logan “Standing Ovation”, Elgin “Energizers”, South Dearborn “Opening Knight” (IN), West Jessamine “Dually Noted” (KY)

Womens: Grove City “Class Act”, Loveland “Allure”, Noblesville “New Dimension” (IN), Olentangy “She-Notes”


It may be premature to call the first competition of the season the best competition of the year in Ohio, but Beavercreek is making a strong case for that honor. Loveland won last year’s edition in a split-caption decision over Hurricane, but they will be challenged by several choirs who were not present last year. Grove City already has a win to its name this season, and Solon is looking to maintain the momentum from its three-win season a year ago. Noblesville finished third last year and is the only other mixed finalist returning from 2024. Piqua and Olentangy should factor in the finals discussion as well. Where the groups place is incredibly hard to predict, but the only solace is that there looks to be a decent cut between the top six groups at the competition and all others.


Gretna Primetime

The Lineup (choirs from Nebraska unless noted)

Mixed: Elkhorn South “Blackout”, Gretna East “Equinox”, Hastings “Riverside Company” (MN), Millard North “Infinity”, Norris “Gold”, Omaha South “The Ambassadors”, Papillion-La Vista South “Titanium”, Sioux Falls Roosevelt “Executive Suite” (SD)

Womens: Elkhorn South “Shockwave”, Hastings “Dynamic Edition” (MN), Marian “Momentum”, Millard North “Illumination”, Papillion-La Vista South “Titan Radiance”, Sioux Falls Roosevelt “Capitol Harmony” (SD)

Prep: Elkhorn South “Power Surge”, Millard North “Intensity”, Norris “68th Street Singers”, Papillion-La Vista South “Titan Express”


Primetime now sits at the dawn of the Nebraska competition season, giving an extra bit of unpredictability to this already-wildcard lineup. Hastings was arguably the best show choir in Minnesota last season and will look to topple a mix of Nebraska choirs that look very close on paper. Millard North, Elkhorn South and Papio South each have big seasons ahead of them, and coming out on top of the heap to begin the season would be a big step in the right direction. Norris and Omaha South will also begin their seasons and look to mix it up in finals. Gretna East is making the step up to varsity mixed this season with their Edison-themed show, and Sioux Falls Roosevelt will look to rebound after missing finals last week.


Linn-Mar Supernova

The Lineup (all choirs from Iowa)

Mixed: Cedar Rapids Jefferson “West Side Delegation”, Cedar Rapids Kennedy “Happiness, Inc.”, Cedar Rapids Washington “Momentum”, Iowa City “4th Avenue Jazz Company”, Johnston “Innovation”, Prairie “The Ambassadors”, Waukee Northwest “Eos”

Womens: Cedar Rapids Jefferson “Ovation”, Iowa City “Charisma”, Johnston “Bella Voce”

Prep: Cedar Rapids Kennedy “Protégé”, Cedar Rapids Washington “Celebration”, Johnston “Synergy”, Prairie “Focal Point”, Waukee Northwest “Aurora”


This isn’t Fab Five, but it is an uncommon opportunity to see all three Cedar Rapids public high schools compete against each other. Kennedy is fresh off a finals appearance at Show Choir Nationals and a choreographer change over the offseason. Washington was a solid second to Waukee at Des Moines Christian last weekend, and Jefferson missed finals at Muscatine a week ago. Another local group, Prairie, is the only entrant to have won so far this year, taking the crown at Muscatine. Iowa City was fourth at that same competition, and Waukee Northwest was second at Sioux Falls Jefferson. Perhaps the most formidable threat is Johnston. Innovation is another group that tweaked its choreography team for 2025, and the Des Moines-area choir may just play spoiler to all the Cedar Rapids locals at Supernova. Of the seven varsity groups in attendance, six will make finals – although where the heavyweights stack up is anyone’s guess.


Waukee Starstruck

The Lineup (all choirs from Iowa)

Mixed: Ankeny Centennial “Vortex”, Ankeny Centennial “Spectrum”, Dallas Center-Grimes “Momentum”, Indianola “Side One”, Liberty “Storm”, Norwalk “Sound Revolution”, Southeast Polk “RAMification”, Urbandale “Studio”, Valley “Choralation”

Womens: Liberty “Impact”, Southeast Polk “Vocal Gold”, Urbandale “Affinity”

Prep: Ankeny Centennial “Chaos”, Ankeny Centennial “Eternal Rush”, Dallas Center-Grimes “Acceleration”, Indianola “Flip Side”, Norwalk “Sound Adrenaline”, Urbandale “Vitality”, Valley “Amplification”, Valley “Ignition”


Several elite mid-Iowa choirs will gather to kick the season into full gear. Urbandale has won this event the past three times it has awarded placements and is arguably the favorite. Valley’s program expanded to three groups this year and Choralation’s set will feature multiple original pieces. Ankeny Centennial is now in the second year of its new program structure, which features both a varsity mixed group and a varsity womens group. Indianola won Best Choreography a week ago at Des Moines Christian and could be a sneaky good group as well. The remaining groups – Dallas Center-Grimes, Liberty, Norwalk, and Southeast Polk – can all be considered finals contenders as well. DCG and Norwalk come in with competition experience this year, but Liberty and Southeast Polk have seen spirited battles in the past and are sure to come out firing on all cylinders as well.


With intriguing battles for finals, heavyweights fighting for top spots, and a couple out-of-area groups looking to claim new territory, there’s no shortage of storylines this weekend. Wherever the choirs place, count on analysis early next week.

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