ARCHBOLD WEATHER

McQuade Sings National Anthem Before State Title Game






Allie McQuade

Allie McQuade

Allie McQuade, an AHS junior, was standing at center court of the Schottenstein Center on the Ohio State University campus.

It was just before 1:30 pm, Saturday, March 28, and the tipoff of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III championship boys basketball game between Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Lima Central Catholic.

A bright spotlight centered on her. It was time for her to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States, before a crowd of more than 10,000 people. A cappella. Without a band behind her. Without a piano to accompany her. Just… her.

No pressure.

“I felt it went pretty well,” she said in an interview, Monday, March 30.

“There’s always room for improvement. I’m my own worst critic.

“I thought I could have done better, but the Lord helped me out and calmed my nerves, because I felt really at peace about it most of the time.

“Just slight nerves, enough to keep you attentive.”

Big Crowd

“It was the biggest crowd I ever sang for. It was an incredible experience. I’m still kind of in shock, I can’t register that I did that,” she said.

“I was out on the floor at half-court. I’ve grown up watching Ohio State play on that court. It’s like, ‘Wow! Okay! I’m here!’

“It was a huge adrenaline rush.”

Of course, she’d sung the national anthem before.

“I’ve been singing it at games at Archbold for a couple of years, so I kind of knew what I was going to do. But it was on a much larger scale,” she said.

Road To The Schott

McQuade gives the credit for her trip to the Schott to God.

“I definitely think it was a God thing,” she said.

“This is what I heard. Mr. (Royal) Short (AHS principal) was at a meeting, and he met the person in charge of selecting” people to sing the national anthem at the Schott.

“He just kind of mentioned my name, and one thing led to another.

“Mr. V (Kent Vandock, director of choral activities at AHS) and I sent in a tape (a digital recording), and I got chosen.”

Back in October she got an email telling her she’d been selected.

“We worked out the details of which day and when,” she said.

She traveled to Columbus with her parents, Tim and Lori, Archbold, and her brother Luke, an AHS freshman. A sister, Leah, 10, couldn’t go that day, she said.

After singing, she stayed and watched the game.

“My brother stayed the rest of the night and came home with friends. We went out to eat and we went home.”

60 To 90 Seconds

McQuade estimated it takes about a minute to a minute and a half to sing the national anthem.

The song ends, and the crowd applauds.

But, she said, the applause was not for her.

“I’m just really thankful to Mr. Short for the opportunity, to Mr. V., to my parents, to the teachers for their support, for the Lord in putting me in the situation.

“It’s not my fame. It’s definitely His,” she said.

McQuade is looking into a career in music.

“It’s definitely one of the options. I’ve been exploring some other options lately, but it’s definitely one of the choices I’m considering,” she said.

“I would probably want to do worship music at a church, maybe performing.

“I’d like to get a Bible degree as well, maybe some background in psychology or counseling.

“I’ve got a lot of interests right now that I’ve got to iron out.”

As a junior, “I have a little time left, not much.

“It’s kind of crazy that (singing the national anthem) is over,” she said.

“There’s been a lot of anticipation building up to it throughout the last few months.”

By the way, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph defeated Lima Central Catholic 63-50.


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