The first weekend of February is right up there for the title of busiest weekend of show choir each year. Certainly, the competition lineups seem to back that claim up!
Jackson Academy Show Choir Invitational
The Lineup (groups from Mississippi unless noted)
Superlarge Mixed: Brandon “Brio”, Grenada “Visions”, Homewood “The Network” (AL), Madison Central “Reveille”
Large Mixed: Jackson Preparatory “Reveillon”, Northwest Rankin “The Ambassadors”
Middle Mixed: Homewood “Continuum” (AL)
Small Mixed: Clinton Christian “Extreme”, Morton “One A’Chord”, Pisgah “Innergy”, Yazoo County “Counterpoint”
Single-Gender: Brandon “Bellas”, Homewood “Nexus” (AL), Madison Central “Renown”, Northwest Rankin “The Allure”, Northwest Rankin “The Ambition”, Tupelo “Synergy”
In addition to the chicken tenders that bring fans back year after year, JASI is hands-down one of the top competitions in the south this year. Brandon and Homewood are both coming off major losses last weekend and - along with Northwest Rankin, who is in a similar boat – will be using this as a rebound competition. Trying to challenge Brio and The Network are Tupelo, perhaps the most hyped group in the South before this season, Jackson Prep, Grenada, and Madison Central. With five finalist spots, there will be multiple stellar groups that wind up missing the cut here. JASI has the potential to set the tone in the south for the rest of the month and perhaps longer – who will be the choir that comes out with the best results and the most momentum?
Papillion-La Vista South Titan Classic
The Lineup (groups from Nebraska unless noted)
Mixed: Elkhorn South “Blackout”, Gretna “Revolution”, Hastings “Riverside Company” (MN), Omaha South “The Ambassadors”, St. Francis “Bridge Street Singers” (MN), Westside “Amazing Technicolor Show Choir”
Womens: Elkhorn South “Shockwave”, Hastings “Dynamic Edition” (MN), Marian “Momentum”, Omaha South “Amplify”, Westside “Simply Irresistible”
Prep: Elkhorn South “Power Surge”, Gretna “Evolution”, Platteview “Platinum”, Westside “Warrior Express”
Three groups – Gretna, Hastings and Omaha Westside – will likely be battling it out for the grand championship trophy on Saturday evening. Revolution closely bested ATSC earlier in the season, but that is the only time to take down titans. Hastings came out on the bottom end of another three-way brawl last weekend at Bloomington Kennedy, and they will try to make sure that it does not happen two weekends in a row. Predictions, both in placings and captions, are almost a fool’s errand when the top groups are all of such a high caliber. Behind them, Omaha South and Elkhorn South are two southern schools that have been consistent finals contenders this year. Whoever comes out in fourth place will have the ‘best of the rest’ distinction. The last finals spot could go a number of ways – St. Francis was a finalist last weekend at Altoona, Simply Irresistible was a finalist earlier this season at Millard West and Platteview has been a surprise revelation in the prep division.
Troy Buchanan Show Choir Invitational
The Lineup (groups from Missouri unless noted)
Mixed: Carthage “Soundwave”, Glenwood “Titan Fever” (IL), Jenks “Trojanaires” (OK), Millard West “West in the Groove” (NE), Mt. Zion “Swingsations” (IL), Neosho “Choraleers”
Single-Gender: Carthage “Suite Sounds”, Jenks “Trojan Spirit” (OK), Millard West “Uptown” (NE), Mt. Zion “Les Femmes” (IL), Mt. Zion “You’ve Got Male” (IL), Neosho “Phenomenon”, Neosho “Sugar & Spice”
Prep: Glenwood “Titan Flame” (IL), Mt. Zion Junior High “Sound System”
This year, Troy Buchanan has managed to assemble an elite lineup of choirs while drawing only two from their home state, and not a single choir within a couple hours. Carthage and Neosho have both seen considerable success in western Missouri and Kansas this year, and they will look to defend their home state against a slew of invaders. Glenwood and Mt. Zion make up the Illinois contingent. Titan Fever came home a solid second to Troy earlier this season, and while Swings haven’t taken the competition stage yet this year, they will be ready to roll over the field. Millard West comes east from Nebraska, with a solid second to Lincoln Southwest on their competition resume so far this year. Jenks comes north from Oklahoma and is considered somewhat of an underdog, although they should still make finals. The single-gender division features a whopping seven groups, including two mens groups. Additionally, the prep division features the debut of Glenwood’s mixed prep group and Mt. Zion’s junior high choir, making all divisions interesting here.
Waukee Northwest Nightfall
The Lineup (all groups from Iowa)
Mixed: Ankeny Centennial “Spectrum”, Ankeny Centennial “Vortex”, Iowa City “4th Avenue Jazz Company”, Urbandale “Studio”, Van Meter “Vocal Locomotion”, Waukee “Millennium”
Womens: Iowa City “Charisma”, Urbandale “Affinity”
Prep: Ankeny Centennial “Chaos”, Ankeny Centennial “Eternal Rush”, Urbandale “Vitality”, Waukee “Spirit”, Waukee Timberline “Inferno”
Perennial Des Moines stalwarts Ankeny Centennial, Urbandale and Waukee headline this competition. As if that wasn’t enough, there are two more prominent wrinkles here: Ankeny Centennial has two groups in the varsity division this year, and Iowa City seems to have an upstart bid going for them after a commanding win over Cedar Rapids Washington at Anamosa last weekend. All of a sudden, there are five choirs who are all making the others uncomfortable. While Ankeny Centennial Vortex and Iowa City are rather outside shots to win, crazier things can and have happened before in the show choir world. The last finals spot will also hold intrigue. Van Meter is the only other group entered in the varsity division, but that 3A program will have to hold off stellar prep groups from Ankeny Centennial, Urbandale and Waukee to seal the deal.
Wildcard: Bettendorf Rhythm on the Riverbend
In a tight contest, Homestead won the X poll but Bettendorf had a larger margin in the Instagram poll, leaving Rhythm on the Riverbend as the wildcard – and they were only in the running because of a late addition!
The Lineup (groups from Iowa unless noted)
4A: Davenport North “Northside Establishment”, Davenport West “West Connection”, Liberty “Storm”, Waconia “Power Company” (MN), Wheaton Warrenville South “The Classics” (IL)
3A: Center Point-Urbana “Summit Street Singers”, Pella “AcaPella”, Wahlert Catholic “Impulse”
Womens: Davenport North “Center Stage”, Liberty “Impact”, Pella “Bravo”, Waconia “The Current” (MN), Wheaton Warrenville South “Esprit” (IL)
Two schools – both start with W, both out-of-state, both finishing a close second last time they were out – will try to claim supremacy at Bettendorf. Waconia was a last-minute add, only coming in after a small lineup at La Crosse Central was finalized. Davenport North and Liberty have both been winning groups in recent years and will play solidly into the finals conversation as well. Pella is regarded as one of the best, if not the singular best, 3A program in Iowa, and Esprit is hands-down the best womens group in Illinois. That right there is already a very potent six-group finals! Davenport West, Center Point-Urbana and Wahlert Catholic have all had flashes over the past couple years and could make some noise as well.
From Mississippi to Missouri, the results promise to be wild! Check back with HomeRoom early next week to see how it all broke down!
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