It has been an impressive season for the Wright City High School color guard.
The guard, under the direction of sponsor Madison Luedtke, finished at the top of every competition in which the group competed.
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It has been an impressive season for the Wright City High School color guard.
The guard, under the direction of sponsor Madison Luedtke, finished at the top of every competition in which the group competed.
As sophomore Madison Goodman sees things, the general vibe around the Wildcat Guard is a big part of why things have been so successful.
“I feel like the positive environment enabled us to tap into our creativity," Goodman said.
Freshman Finley Hall added that working together as a group not only took work to improve stamina, but also the collective insight to form and perform shows at a high level.
"Learning what we could do both physically and mentally for the show was rewarding,” Hall said.
The season’s successes include the Fountain City Marching Band Invitational in DeSoto, the Class A title at the Gene Hunt Marching Band Festival in Washington, Mo., Class A Outstanding Auxiliary for the Pinckneyville (Ill.) Mardi Gras Field Show and a pair of honors at the Highland (Mo.) Sounds of Gold.
At the Sounds of Gold event, Wright City earned the double distinction of Outstanding Guard for Class 3 in a field show and first place for Class B indoor guard.
"The teamwork and perseverance through trials helped us all connect and added to the overall experience,” freshman Lucas Flood said.
Luedtke, who has directed the guard for three years, said that the entire guard, to a member, has bought in with the large amount of planning and practice time that no one sees from the group.
She added that she’s happy to see that her students were rewarded with the accolades they received for their effort.
“During my (time) working with the color guard, they have grown exponentially in both size and skill level,” Luedtke said. “This marching band season, they have been working towards the achievement of Outstanding Auxiliary at all our competitions. Their countless hours paid off, and we could not be more excited. They are such hard-working individuals who care about this activity so deeply. Working with the guard has been an absolute blessing, and I am beyond proud of their accomplishments.”
According to Midwest Marching, Wright City competes in the Mid-Continent Color Guard Association circuit. Since their formation in 2013, the group has won a bronze medal in the Regional A division.
Members of the Wright City color guard include Taylor Grillo, Suhan Mir, Keath Jensen, Kenny Baker, Bella Neldon, Harlee Best, Natalia Contreras, Colby Ulloa, Hailey Patterson, Faith Lemons, Flood, Hall and Goodman.
