First Runner Up
Best Band (Prelims)
Best Band (Finals)
Best Treble Soloist [Finals] (Leanne Telger)
Allen and Sandra Chapman Outstanding Director Award (Jeff Gemar)
GC: Los Al BV/BC
1R: Hastings
2R: Glenwood BB
3R: Findlay/Petal/CG
4R: Petal/Findlay/CG
5R: CG/Petal/Findlay/Auburn
Single Gender
GC: CG BV
1R: Los Al BC
2R: Petal
I think the top 3 are pretty much locked down, but 4-6 is going to be a fun fight to watch. With 19 combined GC's in mixed amongst the 12 competitors, it's sure to be quite the bloodbath. Someone to watch out for(and i know I dont currently have them in finals, but I see them as a dark horse) is the Sioux City East Headliners. They swept their first 4 competitions before going in and being beaten by a much improved Ankeny Visual Adrenaline at their most recent. Auburn and Petal are going to be wildcards as well. Auburn beat Petal at Opelika a little over 6 weeks ago, but Petal has vastly improved since then. Can't wait to see how this one plays out!
Womens:
1st: Center Grove "Debtones"
2nd: Los Alamitos "Soundtrax"
3rd: Auburn "Elan"
4th: El Paso-Gridley "Hi Fidelity"
5th: Petal "Innovations"
Middle School:
1st: Oak Grove "Spotlight!"
2nd: Martinsburg South "South Spirit"
Notes: Yes, those mixed predictions up there look insane to me too. Or maybe they did before I had actually seen a Southern group perform live. Anyways, they're just predictions, so it's doesn't really matter. I never thought I would predict that a last spot in finals would be fought for by THE Glenwood and THE Center Grove. Woah. Big shock to me too when making these.
Los Alamitos looks to be having their typical year: only losing to other Californian god-like choirs. I have complete trust in them to put on a phenomenal show. In 2016, they made me a forever fan, so, of course, I am excited to see this show.
Auburn is not the choice I would have pictured thinking would receive 1RU. However, their record proves otherwise . Out of their three competitions, they have placed first at the first two and second at their most recent. Usually, I wouldn't think much of this. I'd say something like it's probably just Clinton is not getting around the South like they normally do. However, Clinton is. The only time they have not placed first was when Clinton showed up and swept the place. But, along with that, they still have already beaten Petal at Opelika this year. As someone who has already had the first-hand experience to witness Petal's blissful creation this season, I can say all should be scared. If a group can beat Petal, one would think it would have to be Clinton; however, look no further--check out Auburn. I'm very excited to see their performance and further lessen my bad misconceptions about the South being mediocre.
Petal is going to do well here. They are for sure in my opinion going to make finals. Where they land? No one can tell until the announcer says, but I think at the end of it all they will land at 2RU. I'm not going to say much about them because I'd really just be repeating what I just said above. To continue, very few had them as a finals' group guess at Glenwood. I'd go even further to say very, very few predicted them as a grand champion contender. They shook the earth there, and their forced is one to be reckoned with. I'm very excited to see this show again.
Findlay is who I thought might end up with 3RU. They are having a very, very good season. However, I personally thought their show last year at nationals was one to be in the top three, and they look to have barely gotten fifth. (So my bias might go in favor of them. Whoops.) Depending on their show on both days I could see them giving Petal and Auburn a run for their money. However, I also think if the judges feel they performed like how their scores reflected at Medina this year that they could be going into finals in last place or perhaps even not making it. But, I don't see them not making it. They had previously placed higher than Solon earlier this season. I think this group must be on the tip of their game to earn the place they want for this weekend. I'm excited to see what they bring to the table.
Hastings could possibly get 4RU here in my mind even with the stellar season they're having. They have only not received grand champion status once this season, and they have already came back and placed higher than one of the groups that made them get that third at Onalaska. I could see them doing extremely well here, but also I don't know enough about that region to reasonably judge what a grand champ placement there means. I think their performances (yes, plural, they are one I have no doubt seeing in finals) will be pristine and top-notch. I'm just not sure if their show will be what the judges are looking for this weekend. I think they will be very good, and I am very excited to see what they have in store.
Glenwood coming out at the bottom of finals? One must be mad to think that. I saw Glenwood's show during their exhibition performance at their competition from a very, very angled direction. So, I know that that was not the full effect. I think Glenwood will do very well this weekend. I do believe their spot in this order could move around a little bit too depending on their energy and what they have altered since the show I saw. I believe the show I saw kind of lacked energy which was really disappointing because they are usually a living masterpiece. I also think that this year for them is the weakest designed show of the past five years which hurts me to say. However with all that said, they sing beautifully like angels. Their dance moves are creative, funky, and always get people in a good mood. They are good entertainers. Titan Fever is going to bring it this weekend.
Center Grove is included here because I think that they have a strong chance at making it onto this list. Similarly to their Indianapolis neighbor that won last year, Center Grove is very good at changing their show throughout the season. They change it in tiny ways that only very picky people like judges can see and in more obvious ways like finally making the soloists shoes the same--yes, we noticed. I do kind of believe that this is a weaker show for Center Grove as well. They have been placing pretty nicely so far, but they are not at the bar we hold so high for them. They just got their first grand champ this most recent weekend at Decatur and have lost to usually unchallenging competition including: Petal, Wheaton Warrenville South, Carroll, and Twinsburg. I am very excited to see the improvements they have made to their show and just the show in general. It's Center Grove. They have very nice harmonies and super fun shows.
Don’t think I would refer to Carroll’s show as an “easish” choir to beat this year. They barely lost to Zionsville in a finals where they performed first and Zionsville went last. Not trying to be critical of you, just throwing some love Carroll’s way.
No idea how things will shake out for placement. As a long time fan of show choir can I just say it’s going to be an incredibly fun time watching all these groups. Can’t wait to see the wide variety that will be on display - such a great representation of show choirs across the US . Course as a show choir mom, my hope is that I can see my own kiddo perform twice on that stage.!
What a lineup! Here are my predictions!
Grand Champion: Los Alamitos “Sound FX” (Sweep)
1st Runner Up: Glenwood “Titan Fever”
2nd Runner Up: Centrr Grove “Sound System”
3rd Runner Up: Hastings “Riverside Company”
4th Runner Up: Findlay “First Edition”
5th Runner Up: Souix City East “The Headliners OR Petal “Soundsations”
Good luck to all!
Updated Predictions:
GC: Los Alamitos “Sound FX” (Sweep)
1RU: Glenwood “Titan Fever”
2RU: Petal “Soundsations”
3RU: Center Grove “Sound System”
4RU: Hastings “Riverside Company”
5RU: Findlay “First Edition”
A little risky putting Petal before Center Grove, but considering how well Petal did at Glenwood, this year, I would not be surprised if this happened.
Show Choir Nationals 2019
