By Ava Sammons, Iowa contributor
This past weekend was the biggest weekend of Iowa’s show choir season, with seven in-state competitions and Iowa choirs competing across five different states. Many groups competed for the last time this season, putting it all out on the stage for their best performance yet. Fans saw both expected and unexpected results from across the region, and several choirs swept their divisions and finals rounds. All of the state’s circuits, from northwest to eastern and central, saw results that nobody was expecting. Here’s what we can make of the results of some of these heavy hitters:
Liberty Storm the Stage
Final Results
GC: Linn-Mar “10th Street Edition" (BV/BC/BB)
1RU: Waukee “Millennium”
2RU: Prairie “The Ambassadors”
3RU: Cedar Rapids Kennedy “Happiness, Inc.”
4RU: Cedar Rapids Washington “Momentum”
5RU: Raymore-Peculiar “Rush”
Liberty’s inaugural competition ended up being one of the biggest in eastern Iowa this season. Unsurprisingly, Linn-Mar came out on top and swept all three major captions, bringing their win streak to 17. Waukee Millennium served as this competition’s central Iowa representative and placed right behind Linn-Mar. Millennium’s season ended with their third straight runner-up finish. The Ambassadors from Prairie finished off the top three for the second weekend in a row after placing all across the board this season. One of the most surprising results of the competition was Cedar Rapids Kennedy, who fell below the podium for the first time all season. Cedar Rapids Washington ended about where expected within this lineup, although their spot in finals wasn’t a guarantee. The out-of-state wildcard Raymore-Peculiar shocked many after beating out local choirs Bettendorf and Davenport West for a spot in finals. All of the choirs at Liberty ended their season with a bang and Storm the Stage has a great baseline to be a heavy hitting competition in the future.
Bishop Heelan Crusader Classic
GC: Mitchell “Friend de Coup” (BC)
1RU: Sioux City East “The Headliners” (BV/BB)
2RU: Waukee Northwest “Eos”
3RU: Spirit Lake “Music Factory”
4RU: Sioux Center “Satisfaction”
5RU: Sioux City East “Entourage”
Northwest Iowa’s big competition of the weekend finished with some unexpected results. Mitchell from South Dakota was one of only two out-of-state groups at Bishop Heelan and was able to come out above the rest. Despite Friend de Coup’s win, Sioux City East managed to take two major captions off of them and end up in second. This competition was both Mitchell’s first win of the season and The Headliners’ first loss of the season, which created an interesting storyline as both groups head into their final competitions. Waukee Northwest served as the lone central Iowa choir at Bishop Heelan, much like their counterparts from Waukee were at Liberty. Eos finished third at their final competition this season, unable to score above the top choirs from the Siouxland region but still putting out a solid final performance. The top two groups from the 3A division placed behind the podium of 4A choirs. Spirit Lake Music Factory and Sioux Center Satisfaction competed against each other for the first time this season but will be seeing each other the next two weekends. Spirit Lake ended up taking the higher spot last weekend, but it’ll be interesting to see how the season progresses as these groups continue to compete against each other. Sioux City East’s bass choir, Entourage, filled the last spot in Bishop Heelan’s finals. Entourage tends to go back and forth with sister group Prestige for a finals spot but ended up beating them out for the sixth spot last weekend.
Southeast Polk Rhythm and Music Showcase
GC: Johnston “Innovation" (BV/BC/BB)
1RU: Ankeny “Visual Adrenaline”
2RU: Ankeny Centennial “Spectrum”
3RU: Johnston “Synergy”
4RU: Ankeny “Perpetual Motion”
5RU: Ankeny Centennial “Vortex”
Southeast Polk Rhythm and Music (RAM) Showcase proves that quality is better than quantity at some competitions. Just three of central Iowa’s top programs stacked this competition, and every choir in finals competed against one of their own in the evening round. Four varsity groups put four very different shows on the RAM stage and the results for the top three could’ve gone any way. Johnston Innovation ended up on top and swept all three major captions, but the Ankenys put up a fair fight with powerful vocals and high-energy performances. Ankeny Visual Adrenaline finished off their season with their first and only second place after three Grand Championships in a row. Visual Adrenaline still rose above long-time powerhouse and cross-town opponent Spectrum for the second time in three years. Spectrum, also having won their past two competitions, rounded out the mixed varsity groups of the competition. Ankeny Centennial placed the lowest this weekend that they have since the 2023 RAM Showcase, leaving some to question if this competition has a preference for more traditional sets. Johnston Synergy and Ankeny Perpetual Motion are inarguably amongst Iowa’s top prep groups and took the fourth and fifth spots in finals. Southeast Polk was Perpetual Motion’s third finals performance of the year and Synergy’s second, attesting to the strength and competitiveness of both programs. One of the state’s only varsity womens groups, Ankeny Centennial Vortex, put out a very solid performance but placed closely behind Ankeny and Johnston’s prep groups. Southeast Polk RAM Showcase certainly isn’t central Iowa’s biggest competition every year, but can still be considered one of the best for choirs to end their season at, as the margin from first to third must have been incredibly close.
Other moments from this weekend:
Indianola Side One traveled to Heart of America Nashville and placed third overall behind top choirs from Alabama and West Virginia.
Des Moines Christian Light, Inc. ended their season with a sweeping win at Atlantic Sing & Swing.
Freshman choir Johnston Sound Advice placed third overall at Atlantic, their second overall third-place finish of the season.
Several 3A choirs battled it out at Central Lee Central Connections Invitational; Mt. Pleasant InMotion took the win after missing finals at their two earlier competitions.
Valley Ignition placed third overall at Marion Masquerade. This is the highest finals placement for Ignition in 10 years.
Northside Establishment from Davenport North unexpectedly won prelims and came in secnd at the Totino-Grace Show Choir Spectacular ahead of several top Minnesota choirs.