For the first time in over a decade, the DHS Color Guard competed in the WGI Regionals at Enochs High School in Modesto. This year is the first year that the DHS Winter Guard has competed in the WGI circuit, so they were unsure what to expect.

To their excitement, they placed 5th out of 11 in the preliminary competition, and made it into finals, a second competition where they competed against the best of the best.

“It was exhausting but rewarding and I will never forget the feeling when the crowd cheered for us after our performance.” said Senior Color Guard member Jessica Shipps.

“Our first WGI regional was amazing because we made finals on our first try,” agrees color Guard captain Julianna Koch.

This season has been an exceptionally successful one for the DHS Winterguard. With a second place win at one of their previous competitions, and a steady increase in their scores as the weeks go by, it is evident that good thing are to come in the future.

“I’m really glad that I got to perform.  Kayla kept pushing me and encouraging me, and I’m really glad that I got that opportunity” said freshman Katerina Constantinides.

“WGI is an amazing circuit and it was awesome to perform with such talented groups.”  said junior Kayla Dow.

“A lot of good vibes today.  We were all exhausted, but that means we worked hard”, said sophomore Shelley Shinohara.

The WGI finals allowed the DHS Winterguard to grow closer together as a team and improve their show.

“It was a great time to bond with my teammates and have a great laugh” said freshman Amanda Dow.

“At finals everyone collaborated and worked well together”, said freshman Lilyann Day.

This past weekend, the DHS Winter Guard placed 1st out of 11 guards in a competition at San Jose.  At this same competition last year, the guard placed second to last.  Additionally, the DHS Winter Guard achieved a score of 70 points, which is an exceptional score for DHS, especially compared to the scores of other guards that competed in the competition.
With championships coming up in a few short weeks, the DHS Winter Guard is working harder than ever to prepare for a successful end to an already fantastic season.