Five area marching bands competed this weekend in two marching band competitions, bringing home trophies.
At the Blue and Gold Marching Classic in Holdenville, Chandler High School placed third overall in the finals, as well as placing first and winning Outstanding Drum Major and Outstanding Colorguard for Class 3A Blue in the prelims. The band also won best overall for Class 3A in the prelims. Stroud High School won first in Class 3A White prelims, while Meeker High School placed fifth in the same class. Neither passed through to the finals. McLoud High School ranked third in Class 4A Blue in the prelims.
Prague High School competed at the ECU Tigerpalooza Marching Festival, placing last after the prelims.
Chandler Director Zachary Fisher said that while finishing high is great, he was really impressed and pleased with how the marching band performed in the finals.
“It was chock full of emotion and energy. I could tell the crowd was seeing enough that we were getting crowd response like I’ve never seen in a marching band show, especially for a band that’s our size,” he said. “It was really remarkable. It was pretty amazing to see that and hear that and see the kids feed off that energy.”
Fisher added that the band has a lot of things that they can clean up and make better, even though they had a really good run. There are about five public performances left in Chandler’s season. On Oct. 4, the band plans to have another preview before competing at the OBA Class 1A-3A Marching Championships on Oct. 11.
Then it’s OSSAA Regionals on Oct. 21 in Oologah.
Stroud Director Kevin Couch said his students were happy to place first within 3A White in the prelims.
He added that this was a good opportunity for the kids to get out and test the water a bit.
“About half of them and this was their very first contest that they’ve ever been to. So they’re a very young group and this is just our third year to be marching and trying to compete and that kind of thing. So they’re moving rapidly,” he said.
He is pleased with how the band performed and hopeful for its odds this coming weekend at Chickasaw Band Day Extravaganza in Tishimingo.
“They just had some newbie mistakes and that kind of thing. But they’re learning. And that’s critical right now. They’re doing a good job,” he said. Following that competition, The Spirit of Stroud will compete at OSSAA Regionals in Enid on Oct. 15.
Despite Prague High School not placing at Tigerpalooza, Director Trevor Harrold said the band performed well, and he felt it was the best performance they’ve done so far.
“I felt the kids definitely have come together a bit more than they did last year, a little bit more cohesion, a little bit more unity, a little bit more listening to each other and trying to do things in unison and things like that,” he said.
Harrold continued that the students are still chasing opportunity and competing against themselves, though he feels they were proud of themselves this weekend.
“I know kids are really quick to be harsh on themselves and to judge their performances, but coming off the field from this performance, I didn’t hear any of that,” he said.
Prague will next compete at the Blue and Grey Marching Classic in Glenpool on Oct. 4, then OSSAA Regionals on Oct. 14.