On March 17, winter guard members will compete as the defending champions in the State Finals at Center Grove High School.

Winter guard members continued a winning streak on March 10 at a World Guard International competition in Cincinnati, where they earned an score of 87, defeating A guards from all over the country, including states such as Connecticut, New York and Ohio.

“The second group got an 84, so we beat them quite a bit,” sponsor Rosie Queen said.

“We’re fine-tuning everything right now. We’re trying to put the finishing touches on the show, and the girls are working on getting really precise and consistent in their performances,” Queen said.

Nicole von Ah, winter guard member and junior, said, “(Guard members are) changing some parts of the show to make them more challenging and exciting to watch. Also, we are going back to parts we already have and ‘cleaning’ them.”

Both Queen and von Ah said they are pleased with the winter guard’s progress.

“They’re doing great. They’re working really hard, and we’re right on track for where we want to be at this time of year,” Queen said.