Guard advances, choirs win

Saturday was a good day to be a Patriot in the performing arts.

Jay County High School’s winter guard advanced to the Indiana High School Color Guard Association state semifinals while both of its show choirs won their categories at East Noble Knight Edition 2023.

The school’s indoor percussion ensemble competed at the Franklin Community Invitational.

The Patriot winter guard scored 70.16 points to finish fourth in its round. The group was 11th overall in regional A Class, just 0.41 points behind 10th-place Northwestern.

The top 18 schools from each of two IHSCGA preliminary meets moved on the semifinals, which will be held Saturday at Franklin Central. From there, the top 16 move on to the state finals.

Patriot Edition, Jay County’s co-ed show choir, took the top spot in mixed division – tier II at East Noble, finishing ahead of runner-up Red Hot Blues of New Castle. The group also took the award for best vocals.

Just Treble, the school’s all-girl group, won women’s division – tier II ahead of second-place City Lights of Columbia City.

It added the award for best choreography.

It was the first win of the year for both JCHS groups, as Patriot Edition had placed second at the Feb. 11 Carroll Classic and Feb. 18 Homestead Classic Showcase while Just Treble was the runner-up March 4 at the Bishop Luers Midwest Show Choir Invitational.

Both choirs also competed Saturday at the Bishop Luers Midwest Show Choir Invitational, with Just Treble placing second and Patriot Edition finishing third.

The JCHS indoor percussion group scored 62.35 points for 11th in Percussion Scholastic A. It finished 9.65 points behind 10th-place Vincennes.

Jay County’s winter guard advanced to the IHSCGA state finals under the new format instituted in 2017 for the first time last season. It went on to finish in 10th place in Regional A Class.

Patriot Edition and Just Treble will both compete again Saturday at the Columbia City Cup.