Sophia Fishman

Contributing Writer

East Stroudsburg Marching Band marches to victory in this year’s talent show. The annual talent show “Warriors Got Talent” took place in Abeloff Center on Nov. 4 from 7-9 p.m. The event was scored by 80% student votes and 20% by a hand selected judges panel. There were cash prizes with 3rd place receiving $100, 2nd getting $300 and 1st place getting a grand total of $500.

“I feel ecstatic, I never thought the Warriorettes wouldn’t win and to hear our band called is crazy, I am still in awe. Our performance was electric, it was crazy to feel the energy between the people in the audience and our band,” said Logan Kester, the band’s drum major, a senior psychology major.

For the first time, ESU’s marching band took the trophy home. They gave an immersive experience by playing their instruments in the crowd along the walkways as well as on the stage. The performance “filled the whole room with energy,” said the judge’s panel. While the Marching Band took the crown, the night was filled with many other talented acts.

In 2nd place came the Warriorettes, who came in 1st for the past four years. To some, this was a shock that they did not take home 1st place.

“I knew it was going to be a close tie between them and the marching band however, I thought they would pull through in the end,” said Jillian Evina, an audience member, sophomore marketing major. The Warriorettes performed to various beats for them to perform their majorette style dance to.

In 3rd place came a first time performer Brooklyn Browne, a sophomore from Philadelphia. He sang the song “Best Part” by H.E.R and was told his voice was “truly something special” from the judge’s panel.

When asked how long he started singing, Browne responded with “I grew up in the church, so a long time ago.”

Besides the top 3 winners, the other acts were also a big part of the show. Placing 2nd last year, the Dance Team performed again this year to “It’s ok I’m ok” by Tate McRae. They took to the stage with not only a “sassy spirit” but also conducting a “fire performance,” said the judge’s panel.

Placing 3rd last year was the Contemporary Dance Team who danced to a mix of “Turn My Swag On” and “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” by Soulja Boy. “They gave such a well performed, upbeat dance that made me want to get up and dance,” said Brooke Cooper, an audience member and a public health major sophomore.

The Tonesetters gave a singing performance of a combination of the songs “Residuals” by Chris Brown, “Rude Boy” by Rihanna and “Bottoms Up” by Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj. The performance was described as “Spontaneous” by their captain Brandon Hamilton. The judges panel said it was “completely authentic.”

East Stroudsburg University’s Marching Band, mostly known for their performances at football half time games and other various events, closed out this year’s “Warriors Got Talent” talent show with a win. The night concluded with the crowd showing support to all the performances that were shown.