Trojan Guard Wins in the Buckeye State

Trojan-Guard-sweeps-Illinois-competitionThe Chesterton High School Trojan Guard competed this past weekend in a Mid-State Band Association Invitational in Lebanon, Ohio. The Trojan Guard’s performance earned them a a first place finish in the Class “AAA” competition with a composite score of 81.60 from the panel of seven adjudicators. Trojan Guard’s score also allowed them to receive caption awards for Best Music Performance, Best General Effect, Best Percussion Performance, and the Best Color Guard Performance.

Second place went to Connor High School of Hebron, Kentucky with a score of 80.30. Rounding out the top three placements was the Waynesville ‘Spartan’ marching band from Waynesville, Ohio with a score of 64.10.

In Ohio, bands compete against each other through a classification system based on band size. This number only includes the band proper or the number of instrumental performers in each group, rather than the entire number in the band, which may include a large color guard. This is done in contrast to Indiana’s approach where the competitive classes are decided by school enrollment. CHS has 83 total members this year, with 57 of those students performing as members of the woodwind, brass, or percussion section. This number slots the Trojan Guard in Class “AAA” which is the third largest of five classifications, the largest class (Open) being reserved for bands with over 100 instrumentalists. Had all of the bands been competing head-to-head regardless of size, the Trojan Guard would still have scored high enough to place them fifth overall, in a field of 21 competing bands.

On Sunday, the band took a little time out to celebrate their successes this season by spending the day at the King’s Island theme park in King’s Mills, Ohio. The band will conclude its 2012 competitive season this Saturday at Ben Davis High School by taking part in the Indiana State School Music Association’s Semi-State competition. The Trojan Guard’s Semi-State performance will begin at 5:59pm (EST).

This is the third of three qualifying levels of competition that will determine which of the remaining 20 Class “A” bands in Indiana will capture one of the final top ten positions, and move on to the ISSMA State Marching Band Championship in Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, November 3. Three additional Semi-State events will also be held at various locations around the Indiana to determine the top 10 bands in Classes B-D.

Members of the 2012 Trojan Guard include: Kathryn Ausema, Jacob Barnes, Kyle Barnes, Rachel Beard, Mariah Bement, Kierstin Berry, Brian Bolin, Teagan Bowen, Sarah Brimberry, Maddi Comfort, Nick Cross, Diva Bridegroom, Emily Cernick, Belle Chandler, Nicolette Croft, Abi Curdes, Jeff DeHenes, Nick DeHenes, Zach Dickinson, Naomi Draus, Justice Eiden, Riley Franklin, Annie Friday, Alexis Gaines, Izabelle Galvin-Ellis, Alysa Garriott, Amanda Gillespie, Betsy Goysich, Arianna Hall, Seth Halpin, Matt Hampton, Hayley Hardesty, Hailey Hickey, Loren Hodgkiss, Rowan Holsen, Alex Hughes, Amanda Isbister, Brandon Jackett, Samantha Johnson, Curtis Jones, Olivia Kaiser, Henry Keller, Austin Krafft, Michael Lipinski, Nicole Luberski, Jackson Lucken, Cassi Mardis, Skylar McElheny, Emily Mellin, Katelyn Merritt, Hannah McCafferty, Nathan McCall, Erin McNicholas, Devin Moser, Alisa Ordziejewski, Spencer Ostrega, Fred Owens, Mitch Pearson, Frank Pejril, Joel Peterson, Nathan Poczekay, Robert Rosenau, Zach Royko, Hayley Sabol, Joe Sabol, Kylie Sabol, Greg Sirko, Colin St.Mary, Natalie Stemler, Laura Stepanovich, Garrett Swanson, Brittany Tanner, Damien Thomas, Haley Thoreson, Valerie Valerio, Abi Vallangeon, Alexi Vander Vinne, Jaynellen Waelde, Sydney Walker, Natalie Wilhelm, and Layne Wright. The Drum Major for the Trojan Guard is Kaleigh Wilder. The Trojan Guard prop crew includes: Jacob Espinoza, Nathan Finke, Hannah Maluvac, Madi McCall, Alysa McNicholas, Dave Olson, Zoe Vander Vinne, Alisa VanNoort. The directors of the Trojan Guard are Michael Scheiber and Vincent Arizzi. Lisa Scheiber is the Color Guard instructor and Jeff Wroblewski is the drill designer. For additional information about any CHS Music group or event, please contact the CHS Music Dept. at 983-3730.