Comps of the Week Recap: 2/14/26

By William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

Several high-profile matchups across the country delivered some interesting caption splits, but in most cases, the groups initially favored to win held firm.

Chesterton Trojan Classic

Final Results

GC: Carmel “Ambassadors” (BV/BC)

1RU: Franklin Central “FC Singers”

2RU: Gretna “Revolution” (BB)

3RU: Wheaton North “Flight”

4RU: Brandon “Brio”

Large Womens GC: Carmel “Accents”

Small Mixed GC: Gretna “Evolution”

Small Womens GC: Pendleton Heights “Emerald Suites”

This year’s Trojan Classic brought a finals that was arguably more competitive than the 2025 edition, but at the end of the evening round, none of the placements changed from the preliminaries. Carmel reclaimed its inevitability at this competition after a brief blip last year, clearing the field by a big enough margin to take both vocals and visuals. Rumors of Franklin Central’s demise were greatly exaggerated, as FC delivered a stunning ballad and a show that was both deeply complex and executed very well. Revolution, while not as vocally or visually clean as the top two groups, still snagged band off everyone else and represented the Cornhusker State very well with their Annie Londonderry show. Wheaton North keeps showing up when it matters most, with their Andy Warhol show riding a well-rounded vocal and visual product to finals. Brandon showed up in 2026 with a tighter show than in 2025 and it was enough to make finals over Carroll, Cosby, and others. Carmel Accents scored a decisive win in large womens, Gretna’s prep group toppled Indiana small mixed stalwart Pendleton Heights in small mixed, and Pendelton Heights outpaced Waubonsie Valley in small womens.

Homewood South Central Classic

Final Results

GC: Clinton “Attaché” (BV/BC)

1RU: Oak Mountain “Singers” (Best Overall Effect)

2RU: Auburn “Varsity Singers”

3RU: Northwest Rankin “The Ambassadors”

4RU: Spain Park “Rhapsody in Blue”

Death, taxes, and Clinton winning at Homewood. However, those who stayed up until about 1:30 local time on Sunday morning were treated to quite the awards ceremony, with Oak Mountain earning the Overall Effect caption. This marks the first time that Attache has not won the effect caption since Petal in 2020. Oak Mountain debuted as well as they could’ve, and they will head up to Indiana to a loaded Center Grove contest this weekend. Auburn rebounded from some struggles at Oak Mountain with a solid podium finish here, now having a first, third and fifth on their resume for this season. Northwest Rankin toppled an Alabama large group for the second straight week, outscoring Hoover and JASI and now placing above Spain Park here. Rhapsody in Blue has been in a bit of a blender this season but has come out stronger for it, slicing and dicing with the best the South has to offer. They will continue to do so for the next two weeks at Petal and Auburn.

Loveland Showfest

Final Results

GC: Marysville “Swingers Unlimited” (BC)

1RU: Daniel Hand “VIBE” (BV)

2RU: Fairfield “Choraliers”

3RU: Olentangy “Keynotes” (BB)

4RU: Beavercreek “Friends”

Womens Finals

GC: Marysville “Swingers Select” (BV/BC/BB)

1RU: Olentangy “She-Notes”

Marysville continued its hot streak across the past couple of seasons, turning back a stout out-of-region competitor to defend Ohio’s home turf and take the win. Swingers Unlimited now has a two-competition win streak that will be tested by Solon, Findlay, Burbank and others before the season ends. Daniel Hand came out with one of its better national showings in the past few years, taking the vocals caption and showing that New England’s top groups can definitely come to play with the rest of the county and hold their space. Fairfield is now halfway through its four-competition slate this season, placing behind Marysville for a second time before facing them again at Ross on Feb. 28. Olentangy remains a group on the come-up after a win at Marion Harding, and the She-Notes notched a decisive finals placement over Fairfield Pure Elegance. Beavercreek’s fifth brings them to having a third-fourth-fifth straight on the season, and an appearance at Franklin Community this weekend may bring them a second to continue the pattern.

Waconia Star Power

Final Results

GC: Bloomington Kennedy “Rhythm in Gold” (BC)

1RU: Millard North “Infinity”

2RU: Iowa City “4^th Avenue Jazz Company” (BV)

3RU: Millard North “Illumination”

4RU: Sparta “Upstage Adrenaline”

5RU: Bloomington Jefferson “Jefferson Connection” (BB)

A clash between Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin left groups from all four states both in the “we got it” and “we didn’t get it” categories. Bloomington Kennedy notched its second win of the season along with its third consecutive visual caption. Millard North secured its third second-place finish of the season, coming close to defending its 2024 win at Waconia. Iowa City showed that Iowa vocals are always some of the best in the country, with 4AJC taking its third vocal caption of the season. Millard North Illumination won the womens division and parlayed that into their first finals berth since this competition two years ago, continuing to make a case for being the best womens group in Nebraska. Sparta got its get-back, placing over Bloomington Jefferson after placing behind Connection two weeks ago. Jefferson did extend its finals streak to 13 consecutive competitions and took the band caption for the first time since 2019. Notable finals misses included North St. Paul (Minnesota), Benton (Iowa), Burke (Nebraska), and Holmen (Wisconsin).

Wildcard: Urbandale Show Choir Invitational

Final Results

GC: Linn-Mar “10^th Street Edition” (BC)

1RU: Johnston “Innovation” (BV)

2RU: Westside “Amazing Technicolor Show Choir” (BB)

3RU: Johnston “Synergy”

4RU: Linn-Mar “In Step”

5RU: Westside “Simply Irresistible”

In what has become a bit of a familiar battle ground for Linn-Mar and Johnston, what was anticipated to be a tight battle delivered on all the hype. Linn-Mar won the competition, extending its win streak, which now sits at 21 competitions. However, Johnston came about as close as anyone was going to get, taking home the Best Vocals caption. It’s the first time a choir has sang better than Linn-Mar since Valley did so at Prairie in 2023. Westside showed up strong and took the band caption, their second of the season. It’s the first time Linn-Mar did not take the band caption since Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s competition in 2024. The prep groups made plenty of noise as well, with Synergy taking another result that puts them among the best prep groups in the country. In Step claimed its second consecutive fifth-place finish overall, and they have the potential to go even higher than that at Cedar Rapids Jefferson this weekend. SI notched its second finals berth of the season as well, the first time they’ve made two overall finals since 2024.

The end of the season is in sight for some groups, which means that they will begin to congregate at some of the biggest competitions to go out with a bang. Comps of the Week will have all of the coverage on the biggest events later this week.