This weekend marks the end of the 2024 season for the southern show choir circuit competitions, with a big matchup at the Tift County Peach State Invitational and some out-of-state visitors at the Biloxi Gulf Coast Classic to wrap up the year. As always, we’ll take a look at both of the events and the storylines going into each, as well as providing predictions for the competitions.
TIFT COUNTY PEACH STATE INVITATIONAL
This competition is headlined by one of the premier matchups from this year, Brandon versus Oak Mountain. The last time these two groups faced off was at FAME Orlando in 2022, where Oak Mountain (claiming second overall) placed over Brandon (claiming third overall). This matchup is sure to be just as close this time, as both groups look to close out the season with an impressive victory over the other. It’s worth mentioning that these two choirs are fourth and fifth in our large mixed southern poll rankings as well, so the outcome will most likely determine the final standings between the two. This competition will also host a competitive middle division and single-gender division, with several choirs who have trodden off the beaten path this year converging for a winner-take-all showdown. Predictions are as follows:
Predictions (overall placements, no finals):
GC) Brandon “Brio” (BC/Show Design)
1RU) Oak Mountain “Singers” (BV)
2RU) Oak Mountain “The Muses”
3RU) Brandon “Bellas”
4RU) Oak Grove “Center Stage”
1st in Middle Division) Rome “Grand Finale”
BILOXI GULF COAST CLASSIC
Down on the beach, Petal enters this event as heavy favorites over the visiting Keller Central (Texas) and Opelika (Alabama). Northwest Rankin sits as the only large division group here, but they very well may place in front of one or two of those previously mentioned visiting super-large groups by the end of the night. In true southern show choir fashion, this event also hosts a splurge of middle division and small divisions groups. Middle division includes the top-ranked Northeast Jones, along with Spain Park, Pearl River Central, and Sumrall. Small division includes the odds-on favorite West Marion, closely followed by Pisgah, Wayne County, Laurel, and many others, as well as another Texas group, Cristo Rey Forth Worth. The single-gender division here also seems to be Petal’s to win, with Northwest Rankin and Keller Central rounding out the rest of the groups in this division. Predictions are as follows:
Predictions (five finalists):
GC) Petal “Soundsations” (BV/BC/Show Design)
1RU) Northwest Rankin “The Ambassadors”
2RU) Keller Central “Voices of Central”
3RU) Northeast Jones “Gold Horizons”
4RU) Petal “Innovations”
1st in Small Division) West Marion “New Era”
While it’s not a southern circuit competition, it’s worth noting that Tupelo will be seeking revenge this weekend as they travel back to Heart of America Nashville for the second year in a row. They’ll be looking to put last year in the past and win the single gender division this time around. Good luck and safe travels to the ladies of Tupelo! Don’t forget to come back after the weekend is over as we analyze the last competitions of the 2024 southern show choir season.
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