7 SCV high schools vie for top spots in color guard competition 

For the first time in five years, all seven comprehensive public high schools in the Santa Clarita Valley participated in the Winter Guard Association of Southern California’s Color Guard Competition at Valencia High School on Saturday.  

Students from Castaic High School, Canyon High School, Golden Valley High School, Hart High School, Saugus High School, West Ranch High School and Valencia High prepared their routines for months ahead of this event.  

Lorraine Kohagen, colorguard advisor for Valencia High and event organizer for the competition, said Saturday’s competition was the “biggest show we’ve ever hosted here.” 

“I’m really glad that we got an event here because especially after COVID, kids are kind of still trying to decide if they want to do activities and we want them in colorguard, we want them to be involved in something,” said Kohagen. “So for me, this is huge because it’s a great activity. It really builds self-esteem and it builds confidence. And that we get to host the show — I think it shows everybody how wonderfully ran our program is as a whole.” 

For Valencia senior Sydney Morris, the event was bittersweet. She’s been involved in color guard since she was in eighth grade and Saturday’s competition will be one of her last. Being in it for so long means part of her is ready to leave, but it’s also sad that soon it will be a closed chapter in her life.  

“It’s so special for me because we haven’t done it in so long and the last time we did it was actually my eighth-grade year,” said Morris. “So seeing it come back for my last year in color guard, it’s just so special.” 

Terry Collier, co-chair of the event, said arts education is crucial for high school kids — not just because of the creative and athletic lessons that are taught in a subject such as color guard, but because of the bonds and memories formed as they learn them.  

“When you watch these kids, watch them perform, you watch the glee and the excitement and the enthusiasm that they have to be able to perform and to be able to express themselves and also be part of the choreography being part of the process,” said Collier. “It’s amazing, and I think that certainly championing the arts… it’s just important that we place an awareness, that we place budgeting towards it.” 

The event lasted 11 hours and featured 64 high school color guards, including the ones from the SCV. Mayor Jason Gibbs attended the event.  

The placing of SCV schools in the competition was as follows: 

WGASC A Round 1  

• Golden Valley — 3rd place. 

WGASC A Round 2  

• Castaic — 2nd place. 

• Canyon — 6th place. 

Scholastic AAA  

• Saugus — 1st place. 

Scholastic AA  

• Valencia — 2nd place. 

Scholastic A  

• West Ranch — 1st place.  

• Hart — 2nd place. 

Santa Clarita Local Schools Photo Gallery

SAUGUS HIGH SCHOOL (FIRST PLACE SCHOLASTIC AAA):

WEST RANCH HIGH SCHOOL (FIRST PLACE SCHOLASTIC A):

VALENCIA HIGH SCHOOL (SECOND PLACE SCHOLASTIC AA):

HART HIGH SCHOOL (SECOND PLACE SCHOLASTIC A):

CASTAIC HIGH SCHOOL (SECOND PLACE WGASC A Round 2 ):

GOLDEN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL (THIRD PLACE WGASC A Round 1):

CANYON HIGH SCHOOL (SIXTH PLACE WGASC A Round 2):