
Senior staff writer
Greenwood senior Brandon Rosado sings a sweet song whether toting a pigskin or singing with the school’s award-winning Rhapsody choir.
Rosado and senior linemen Zach Drew and Joey Craig have been singing under the direction of 16th-year music director Dan Borns since the eighth grade.
“He (Borns) talked us into it, and we decided we might as well try it,” Rosado said. “He let us get a feel for it before high school.”
Since then Rosado has done his fair share of recruiting other guys for choir, and he aspires to be a music major and play football in college.
He and fellow Rhapsody member, senior Ethan Pine, had a busy weekend.
Rosado, a 5-4, 175-pound running back, gained 76 yards in nine carries and scored a touchdown as No. 11 Greenwood dominated Beech Grove 43-7 Friday night in the first round of 4A Sectional 22.
Pine finished 36th in the Shelbyville Semistate with a time of 16 minutes, 19.2 seconds over the 5K course.
They are among 40 male singers in the coed chorus. Greenwood’s choral program is known for being among the state’s best. Rhapsody under Borns has won numerous state honors and has grown to nearly 250 students in Grades 9-12.
Instead of hanging out with friends or playing video games, Rosado and Pine joined choir members Sunday for a combined concert with University of Indianapolis choruses at the DeHaan Fine Arts Center.
Rosado didn’t quite compare the center to Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the state finals, but admitted that performing in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall again was amazing with its excellent acoustics and capacity crowd.
“We love to sing in front of huge audiences,” he said. “The music we sing is really great, and Mr. Borns makes it fun.”
Rosado has a great desire to perform in the auditorium or on the football field. He realizes that it takes practice and that Borns and football coach Mike Campbell parallel each other in their expectations.
“It’s a lot mental; you have to have your head into both,” Rosado said. “It’s all about practice, practice, practice. When you sing you’re thinking ahead, and when you’re running with the ball you have to think about the hole you hit and your strengths.”
Rosado feels prepared whether he’s singing Zigeunerleben in German, making sounds that imitate a Brazilian rain forest or preparing to make a block for his teammates.
He said Borns pushes him to perform just as hard as Campbell pushes him on the football field.
Rosado suffered a high ankle sprain Sept. 22 against Paoli. A few days later he performed at the Greenwood Music Department’s fall concert wearing a protective boot on his left ankle. He stood and sang with Rhapsody while still in pain.
He returned to the field briefly against Whiteland in the team’s last regular-season win and then helped the ground game against Beech Grove.
Junior running back Nick Willham had 12 carries, gained 92 yards and scored a touchdown in the first quarter on a 35-yard run for a quick 23-0 lead.
The Woodmen were led by the one-two combo of Rosado and Willham in the backfield and the passing attack of senior quarterback Seth Gallman and Conner Battinau, who combined on a 17-yard TD in the second quarter.
Rosado has gained 666 yards this season and is averaging 5.8 yards per carry; he has scored eight touchdowns.
The Woodmen (8-2) face Mount Vernon (4-6) Friday at Woodman Field with the winner going to the Sectional 22 final against Mooresville or New Castle.
“We still have a lot of work to get ready for Mount Vernon,” Campbell said. “We tell our kids we’re not playing for titles; we’re playing as a family because we want to practice together for one more week.”
In 6A, a showdown looms Friday with No. 13 Center Grove (4-5) at No. 14 Franklin Central (8-1). Perry Meridian (1-8) is at No. 8 Brownsburg and Avon is at Southport.
In 5A, No. 3 Roncalli (8-1) meets No. 1 Cathedral (4-5) at Tech in a big rivalry with high stakes.
In Class A, No. 2 Lutheran, which rolled over Cambridge City Lincoln 54-16, meets South Decatur (5-5).
All games start at 7 p.m.