While the major Indianapolis, California, and Virginia choirs haven’t gotten out yet, pretty much everybody else has! A slew of headline matchups await on Saturday.
Bloomington Kennedy Gold
The Lineup (groups from Minnesota unless noted):
Mixed: Ankeny “Visual Adrenaline” (IA), Bloomington Jefferson “Jefferson Connection”, Fort Atkinson “South High Street Singers” (WI), Hastings “Riverside Company”, Papillion-La Vista “Free Spirit” (NE), Waconia “Power Company”
Womens: Ankeny “Intensity” (IA), Bloomington Jefferson “Jive”, Fort Atkinson “Lexington Singers” (WI), Hastings “Dynamic Edition”, Papillion-La Vista “Heart and Soul” (NE), Waconia “The Current”
Prep: Ankeny “Perpetual Motion” (IA), Papillion-La Vista “Monarchy” (NE)
Middle: Valley View “Valley View Voices”
Isn’t it funny how the first Minnesota competition on the calendar only has three in-state programs attending? Gold has picked up a reputation as a competition for elite groups, and this year’s edition lives up to the hype. On the surface, the biggest story is the Waconia-Hastings matchup that was stolen by the snow earlier this season. Hastings will now be making its season debut here, wile Waconia has already competed (and won) twice. However, don’t sleep on Ankeny or Papio either. While VA is making its season debut after the Muscatine cancellation, it is looking to improve on its third-place finish at Gold in 2022 behind Hastings and Waconia. Free Spirit is coming off a wild no-caption win at Burke this past week and absolutely has the potential to play spoiler to the established top three. Behind them, Bloomington Jefferson and Fort Atkinson should be solid low-end finalists if they can remain ahead of Papillion-La Vista’s Heart and Soul and Ankeny’s Perpetual Motion.
Omaha Westside Competition of Excellence
The Lineup (groups from Nebraska unless noted)
Mixed: Grand Island “Ultimate Image”, Johnston “Innovation” (IA), Mitchell “Friend de Coup” (SD), Omaha South “The Ambassadors”, Papillion-La Vista South “Titanium”, Ralston “RUSH”, St. Thomas Aquinas “Swingin’ Saints” (KS)
Womens: Grand Island “Sweet Revelation”, Marian “Momentum”, Mercy “Treblemakers”, Omaha South “Amplify”, Papillion-La Vista South “Titan Radiance”, Ralston “Runway”, St. Thomas Aquinas “Saintsations”
Prep: Grand Island “Future Image”, Johnston “Synergy” (IA), Papillion-La Vista South “Titan Express”
Johnston. Papio South. Mitchell. The only thing missing from a classic tri-state battle is Westside, who’s hosting the competition. Each of the three groups brings something unique to the table. Johnston was unable to attend the rescheduled Gretna competition, meaning Inno will be going to Westside on debut off an undefeated season last year. Mitchell goes back to a January debut after waiting until the second weekend of February last season. Papio South is coming off an absolutely wild Millard West competition that saw them finish fourth, their lowest finish in a non-national competition since Johnston in 2022. Each of these three groups is extremely capable of winning this competition, and the caption split is simply tossing darts. Omaha South will be debuting after the cancellation of Waukee and will be competing with Grand Island for the fourth spot. UI is coming off a sweep at Hastings and is looking to prove themselves again in a tough Omaha competition. While Ralston and St. Thomas Aquinas are the other varsity group, the most likely candidate for the sixth finalist spot is Johnston Synergy, who made finals at a touch Southeast Polk competition last season.
Tallassee Capital City Classic
The Lineup (groups from Alabama unless noted)
Large Mixed: Auburn “Varsity Singers”, Enterprise “Encores”, Homewood “The Network”, Opelika “Ovations”
Middle Mixed 1: Hoover “Paradigm”, Lakeside “Soundsation” (GA), Tift County “8th Street Singing Company” (GA), Vestavia Hills “Singers”
Middle Mixed 2: Homewood “Continuum”, Jasper “Phoenix”
Small Mixed 1: Chelsea “Out of the Blue”, Helena “Spotlight”, Oxford “Sound”, Pell City “Showstoppers”
Small Mixed 2: Appling County “Applause” (GA), Eufala “Vibe”, Fitzgerald “Encore Unlimited” (GA), Pike Road “Prestige”
Womens: Auburn “Elan”, Enterprise “Esprit”, Homewood “Nexus”, Opelika “Impressions”, Tift County “Ladies Choice” (GA)
Mens: Auburn “Men at Work”, Tift County “Tiftosterone” (GA)
Tallassee kicks off the Alabama competitive season and it is packing the heat. Several of Alabama’s best programs are in attendance, with Oak Mountain standing as one of the only top programs not coming to the event. Homewood enters a brave new world without Scott Thorne. Enterprise saw Martez Tidwell depart for Spain Park. Auburn didn’t win a Southern competition last year but did grab the choreography caption from Homewood here. Whoever takes the large mixed division (no finals here) will be considered on top of Alabama to start the season. Tift County drops down to middle mixed, where they meet the bloodbath of Hoover and Vestavia Hills – and that’s without Spain Park, who was a late drop. Small mixed contains two entertaining divisions as well, with Oxford looking to maintain their reign of the division in one group and one of the most random assortments of southern show choirs you’ve ever seen in the other group. The womens division will be just as hotly contested as large mixed, with the winner claiming a ridiculous amount of bragging rights over a handful of quality groups.
Wildcard: Lincoln East Spartan Spectacular
For the second week in a row, a Nebraska contest won the wildcard vote! Be sure to make your voice heard next week by voting in our X and Instagram polls!
The Lineup (groups from Nebraska unless noted)
Mixed: Elkhorn South “Blackout”, Lincoln Southwest “Resonance”, Millard West “West in the Groove”, Norris “Gold”, Pius X “Spectrum”, Sioux City East “The Headliners” (IA)
Womens: Elkhorn South “Shockwave”, Millard West “Uptown”, Norris “Titanaires”, Pius X “Prism”, Sioux City East “Prestige”
Prep: Elkhorn South “Power Surge”, Lincoln Northwest “First Class”, Lincoln Southwest “Ambience”, Millard West “Swing Cats”, Norris “68th Street Singers”, Sioux City East “Entourage”
Millard West hops in on the fun for the first time this season and will attempt to take down one of Nebraska’s hottest show choirs, Lincoln Southwest. If WIG comes out on top, it will be a very impressive feat, as Resonance has already gone two-for-two so far this season. Behind them, Norris and Elkhorn South have both notched solid finishes already this season. Sioux City East is a debutant, but The Headliners are now in year number three under the direction of Jeremy Hess and are looking to establish themselves in the post-Tom Hales era. Pius is in an odd spot here – probably the bottom of the six varsity groups, but still in great position to improve upon a 2023 season that saw them win 1.5 grand championships. In prep, Lincoln Northwest will look to navigate through a slew of division powerhouses and further establish themselves, as well.
Whatever happens this next weekend, HomeRoom will be back early next week with a recap of it all. Whether competing, spectating or observing from afar, enjoy this show choir weekend!
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