Battle Ground High School band wins top awards

BATTLE GROUND — The Battle Ground High School Advanced Jazz Band took first place Dec. 7 at the Skyview Jazz Festival. The annual festival features high school and middle school big bands and combos. This year’s theme was “A Storm of Cool Jazz” and featured guest artists from the River City Riot Brass Band. In addition to BGHS’s Advanced Jazz Band taking home top honors, Prairie High School’s Jazz Band 1 placed third in the Advanced Division, and Chief Umtuch Middle School’s Advanced Jazz Band placed second in the Middle School Division. Top soloist awards were presented to Battle Ground High School’s Ashton Hemming, saxophone, and Mallory Meyer, trombone; Prairie High School’s Isaac Moroshan, trumpet; and Chief Umtuch Middle School’s Sora Tolley, alto saxophone, Jake Grevstad, trombone, and Jayden Corey, drums.