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Elgin High School’s Wildcat BBQ team is proving its chops in the competitive barbecue scene, earning a state competition spot in just its second year.
In November, the team placed fif th overall among 26 competitors at the National High School BBQ Association regional qualifier in Athens. Their impressive performance included a second-place finish in chicken lollipops, fifth in grilled cheese and seventh in ribs.
The top 10 teams from the regional event will advance to the state meet, set for May 2-3 in Burnet.
Led by Elgin High instructor Madeleine Musick, the team features sophomore Bethanee Mackenzie and juniors James New, Paloma Ortiz and Faith Starks. As members of the Food Science Pathway program, they’ve honed their skills in the Wildcat BBQ club, which blends classroom lessons with real-world culinary techniques.
The National High School BBQ Association supports middle and high school Career and Technical Education programs with a curriculum crafted by barbecue pitmasters, chefs and educators to meet state and national standards. Students like those on the Wildcat BBQ team learn to perfect dishes across five rotating categories. This year, the competition focuses on ribs, chili, chicken lollipops, grilled cheese and ribeye.
As the state competition approaches, Elgin’s team looks to bring home more accolades while showcasing the skills that make them stand out in a crowded field of competitors, Musick said.
