In case you missed last Friday’s Best of the Best lunchtime assembly, Lancerlink.com is here to fill you in on all the awards given to some extraordinary students. The annual Best of the Best Assembly is prestigious, only champions are honored, and this year CHS has set some new records.  The assembly aims to showcase talented students who are often overlooked in our halls.

Color Guard kicked off the assembly with their award-winning field set. Because of their success in competitions, Color Guard has moved up a class, from Regional 1A to Regional 2A.

In blue fitted costumes, flags and guns went flying. The audience watched in suspense to see whether each flag would be caught after being thrown about 10 feet in the air.

“We’ve gotten multiple first places at shows around SoCal this year. In field, we got first place and we also brought home fourth place in championships,” said senior and color guard captain Julie Peterson.

Following Color Guard was the Drum Line. They spiced up their performance with new funky dance moves, in-between playing challenging rhythms.

Lancer Dancer and Xcalibur performed their Nationals winning hip-hop and jazz routines. Xcalibur won second and third in the junior varsity division while Lancer Dancers won first place in the varsity hip-hop division which was their second back-to-back victory.

“Lancer Dancers put Carlsbad High School on the map,” senior Haley Hendricks said. “People come to these assemblies to watch them.”

Senior Camille Posard and other members of the dance teams are gracious to all who support them continually.

“I think this is a really big deal, that this assembly is happening. It’s a privilege for Lancer Dancers and everyone to be recognized,” Posard said.

ASB took inspiration from the Lancer Dances with a live music video to the hit song, “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction. The lone, five boys in ASB dressed up and serenaded the girls soccer team and other audience members, while all the ASB girls danced a choreographed routine in the background.

The girls soccer team was recognized for not only winning league for the first time ever but for also winning CIF and making it to semifinals in state. The team was awarded two banners that will join the many other Lancer titles in both the New and Old gym.

Their coach, Carl Higham, who was voted Coach of the Year by the “North County Times,” was also present at the assembly.

“It took a lot of hard work and we’ve been waiting for years for this to happen,” senior captain Morgan Batcheller said. “We’ve had pretty good teams in the past, but this year we all came together and all of our names are within these new banners. We are proud!”

Boys cross country was also CIF winners this year. They were awarded a plaque and applauded by the whole gym for their speed.

“I am very proud of all our athletic teams,” Athletic Director Joe Liebentritt said after the assembly. “Not only are we successful on the teams but we do it with class and dignity.”

CHSTV once again returned from STN with their fourth consecutive Award of Excellence title. The Speech and Debate team proudly show off their many sky-scrapping trophies. Drama performed their whole DTASC skit from a Shakespeare play.

The new principal, Dr. Matt Steitz, who also attended the assembly, smiled ear to ear while watching his students receive recognition for their success. He hopes the success continues for many years to come and next year’s Best of the Best Assembly will top this one.

“As the first year principal at Carlsbad High School, I’m extremely proud of all the students that we have here and how we behave, both during school and outside of school, and there are all kinds of programs that demonstrate that,” Dr. Steitz said. “It’s very cool to say, everyday is a great day to be a Lancer!”