A Summary of the 2023 Midwest Winter Guard Championships

Michael Alloian

The 2023 Winter Guard Championships were held over the weekend of April 1st and 2nd, 2023. Warren is in the Midwest Color Guard Circuit which includes schools from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The Midwest Championships took place at Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Illinois. 

Warren Township High School has two guard teams, JV and Varsity, who both competed in the championship in their individual divisions. Warren JV performed their show Up in the Clouds with their coach Kiirsti Linna. Warren Varsity performed their show Cry Me a River with their coaches Jeanette Johnson and Toni Markowicz. Warren JV, in the SAA Brazele division, got second place with a score of 79.970 and narrowly missed first place by 1.64 points to Stevenson High School JV. Warren Varsity, in the SA Zimny division, also got second place with a score of 80.880 and only missed first place by 4.76 points again to Stevenson High School Varsity.

There were three other high school divisions: Brubaker, Wiles, and SO. In the SAA Brubaker Division, Stagg High School in Palos Hills won with a score of 82.280. In the SA Wiles Division, Lockport Township High School in Lockport, Illinois won with 86.800 points. In the SO Division, Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois won with 87.000 points which was the highest overall score for a high school in the 2023 Midwest Circuit. A total of 38 teams performed over the championship weekend. 

 

JV cleaning up after their performance.

 

JV showing their silver medals with their coach Kiirsti Linna.

 

Members of JV and Varsity reuniting and celebrating after the awards.

 

JV performing their show Up in the clouds.

 

Winter Guard members at the annual banquet on Saturday, April 1st.

 

Varsity showing off their certificates and silver medals.

 

JV and Varsity showing off their medals with their coaches Kiirsti Linna for JV and Jeanette Johnson and Toni Markowicz for Varsity.

 

Results from the competition on Saturday, April 1st.

 

Packed bleachers in the gym of Andrew High School during the awards ceremony on Sunday, April 2nd.

 

38 teams anxiously awaiting the award results on Sunday, April 2nd.