(From left) Alex McBride, Shelby Thomaston, Katie Rock, Shirley Arteaga, Brittany Seewald, Katie Yoder, Alex Mast, Jamie McBride and Jackie Yoder.
(Photo provided)

This past Saturday NorthWood Red Regiment Marching Band performed with the top 20 Open Class C Indiana bands. The contest was held at Decatur Central High School on a bitterly cold Saturday.

Red Regiment started their day with a 2-hour rehearsal in 27-degree weather. By the time the band traveled to Indianapolis, the temperature warmed to a steamy 39-degrees for their performance.

Red Regiment, which boasts 71 members, offered a great performance featuring music soloists: Allie Chupp and Alex McBride and dance soloists Katie Rock, Jackie Yoder and Sierra Eggers. Along with nine other bands, Red Regiment advanced to ISSMA State Finals to be held in Lucas Oil Stadium. This is the third consecutive year that NorthWood has qualified for I.S.S.M.A. State Finals. In 2012 the band placed sixth in the state. The band followed the next year with a fourth place state final finish.

Open Class C State Finalists include (in SemiState performance order): Scottsburg, Norwell, Western, Lewis Cass, NorthWood, Fairfield, Edgewood, Twin Lakes, Angola and Concordia Lutheran.

All qualifying bands will perform at Lucas Oil Stadium tomorrow, Nov. 8. The band is lead by Eric Criss, who has taught at NorthWood for 6 years and has instructed band students for 13 years total.