Merced High winter guard fourth in Western Region competition

A fairly young Merced High School winter guard got a taste of success recently when it placed fourth in the Western Championship at the Winter Guard International competition in Las Vegas.

The guard, composed of 18 boys and girls, performed to an a cappella version of Sia’s “Chandelier,” using golden poles to form the shape of an inverted chandelier.

Though the guard previously has competed in the tournament, this year’s event in Las Vegas in March drew more teams, raising the stakes, said John Schmid, director of the Merced 100, the school’s marching band.

The guard performed three times in two days, advancing in each round before placing fourth in the final round. The group scored 84 out of 100, its top score of the season.

The competition was demanding, and Jenn Lawton, the guard’s coach, was proud of how the Merced guard “held on,” which is what the song’s lyrics discuss.

“Their ability to pull themselves together showed a great level of maturity,” Lawton said. “They’re not usually under that kind of pressure, yet they continued to grow each time.”

Samantha Marin, 17, a captain of the guard, said the experience was rewarding.

“This was probably the best experience by far out of the four years I’ve been here,” said Marin, a senior at Merced High. “This is the first time this guard went to something so big.”

If the guard had taken its accomplishment to the next level and competed at the WGI Color Guard World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, the guard would have been seeded eighth in the nation, Schmid said.

Next year, the guard hopes to have even more success and raise enough money to be able to compete in Dayton.

Viky Villanueva, also a captain, said the group is excited for future seasons and to see what it can accomplish. Color guard members already are telling incoming freshmen they need determination because Dayton is next year’s goal.

Lawton said the group has a large sophomore class, with only three seniors and one junior.

“It’s a really young group, but they’re really talented for being as young as they are,” Lawton said. “We’re really excited for the next couple years to come.”

On Saturday, the winter guard will compete in its circuit championship at Clovis North. The team to beat is Clovis, Lawton said, which has taken the championship in the past and has an “exceptionally good” group this year as well. El Capitan and Golden Valley’s winter guards also will compete in the circuit championship.

Lawton said she hopes the community will increase its support for local color guards, whether that means donating money to the programs or watching performances.

“These kids work exceptionally hard,” she said.

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Merced High winter guard fourth in Western Region competition."