Tom Munderloh, director of Onalaska High School show choirs, sure was right about the Onalaska Classic last weekend.

It was a wide open competition for the six finalist spots.
The biggest surprise was that the Expressions of Buffalo Grove, Ill., which has won a few grand championships (the last one in 2006) at the Onalaska Classic, didn’t make the finals for the first time in 20 years. The Expressions have the most top 3 finishes at the Onalaska Classic -- 17.

Executive Session of Sauk Prairie, Wis., a finalist in 2006 and 2007, didn’t make the finals and Totino-Grace Company of Singers, a finalist at almost every competition, was not a finalist either.

The Classics of Wheaton-Warrenville, Ill., won the 21st Onalaska High School Show Choir Classic for the first time. I really think they won because they had a strong vocal ensemble and their show was clean. This year, no single choir blew me away -- the finalists were good and I liked something from each show, but I didn’t think anyone had a total superb package yet.

The Onalaska Classic has a rich tradition. Did you know:

-- Buffalo Grove has won the best choreography award 10 times.

-- Swingsations of Mt. Zion, Ill., tied La Crosse Central’s Grand Central Station for the second most appearances in the finals -- 11. Logan’s Class Act has made the Onalaska Classic finals nine times. Of course, Central and Logan didn’t participate in this year’s competition.

-- Grand Central Station has won best vocals more than anyone at the classic -- six.

NEXT UP: The Onalaska Hilltoppers open their season Saturday at Mt. Zion, Ill.

WATCH FOR: More show choir members will start writing online columns this week. Also I will write about the critique session at show choir competitions later this week. I followed Totino-Grace Company of Singers at the Onalaska Classic.

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