WGI Weekend Preview: March Madness Hits Color Guard Regionals

The calendar turns to March for the 2017 WGI Sport of the Arts season and things are heating up for the March 4-5 weekend.

Mar 2, 2017 by Michael Gilley

WGI Weekend Preview: March Madness Hits Color Guard Regionals

As the sports world begins to turn its attention to March Madness, WGI Sports of the Arts is joining in the mass hysteria with an unbelievable lineup of shows this weekend. Altogether, there are four regionals being streamed LIVE, exclusively on FloMarching, that will have you going crazy for more. Here's an in-depth look at the performances taking place on Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5, across the country.

Atlanta Color Guard Regional

East Coweta High School won last year's Atlanta Regional Scholastic A class with a 85.290 and is now competing in the Scholastic Open division. So look for a strong showing from the 2016 SA silver medalist Father Ryan and bronze medalist Green Hope, which is sitting at No. 11 right now in the WGI projected rankings, at the two-day regional.

Scholastic Open will see last year's class winner Summerville return to Atlanta as well as Marvin Ridge, which is currently projected at No. 16 heading into this weekend.

In Independent A, Tampa Independent is having a good 2017 campaign so far and is sitting at No. 13 in the Independent A class. But there are 10 more ensembles eager to take the floor in a formidable lineup.

Independent Open is going to have a great showing as well with eight guards scheduled to perform. Among them is last year's third-place finisher, Alta Marea, and current fourth-ranked IO ensemble the University of South Florida.

Independent World is loaded with five groups, including Paramount, which finished in first place in 2016. But with all of the IW ensembles' projected rankings within eight places of each other right now, it should be a tight contest.

Austin Color Guard Regional

The Scholastic A division is the most difficult class to navigate in WGI. Why? Because of regionals like the Austin, Texas, show, where the three of the currently projected top five groups will be competing on Saturday. And that doesn't include the top three finishers from last year's Austin event.

In Scholastic Open look out for Hendrickson after it scored a 78.5 to win the San Antonio Regional on February 25. Projected No. 4 Little Elm will be set for a good showing as well.

James Bowie and The Woodlands will be representing the Scholastic World class. Rumor has it Bowie is doing a show that is using gallons of paint to cover its floor during the show.

Independent A will feature three guards, including BriA Independent, which is sitting at No. 16 in the projected rankings. And in the Independent Open class, ATX and No. 6 Industry will be performing.

Cypress Independent, along with first-year ensemble, Invictus, will wrap things up in the Independent World class.

Pittsburgh Color Guard Regional

At the Pittsburgh regional on Saturday and Sunday, Gateway is returning after winning the Scholastic A class last year with a 77.94. But there are three rounds of guards totaling 23 units, so the Pittsburgh show is wide open.

Speaking of open, six ensembles will be performing along with projected No. 3-ranked North Syracuse Central in the Scholastic Open classification. But 2016 champion Jamestown will be there as well, so it should prove to be a hotly contested battle in the open class. Norwin will be flying solo in the Scholastic World class in Pittsburgh.

On the Independent A class, there is seven groups scheduled to perform, with only Slippery Rock University Winter Guard returning from the 2016 Pittsburgh contest.

MWAV Performance Arts Ensemble, Artistry in BLUE, and Stonewall Independent will all be performing in the Independent Open.

In what may be the featured class of the weekend, the Independent World guards feature an absolutely stacked lineup, including last year's Independent Open World champion, Juxtaposition; 2016 World Championship finalist Emanon; and 2016 World Class bronze medalists Onyx.

Trumbull Percussion Regional

In the percussion division, 16 drumlines are competing in a wide-open Scholastic A class, including 2016 winner King Philip Regional, in Trumbull, Connecticut, on Saturday.

A tight Scholastic Open will see a return of three competitors from 2016, including host Trumbull, Norwalk, and Old Bridge.

The featured groups at Trumbull will be Independent Open 2016 World Championship silver medalist Spirit Winter Percussion and the five-time scholastic world champion Dartmouth drumline.