FORT MILL TOWNSHIP --
The Fort Mill High School Marching Band and Nation Ford High School Marching Band came home worn out on Saturday night after each competing twice during the day, but they were rewarded for their efforts with first place wins.
The Fort Mill Marching Band competed in a double header on Saturday, performing in the afternoon at the Providence Cup at Providence High School and in the evening at Butler High School's Butler Festival of Bands.
At the Providence Cup, the band won the awards for Best Music, Best Color Guard, Best Percussion, and first place in Class 5A. In addition, Fort Mill won the trophy for highest score in classes 3A-5A and the overall grand championship, the Providence Cup. The drum majors were awarded second place honors.
At the Butler Festival of Bands, the Fort Mill Marching Band raked in more first place wins including the awards for best music, best marching, best general effect, best color guard, best percussion, and first place in Class 6A. Fort Mill's color guard also won the award for highest score in classes 4A-6A. The band captured trophies for the highest score in classes 4A-6A and the overall grand championship trophy for highest score of the day. Fort Mill's drum majors finished second.
Performing twice in one day was tiring, but exciting, according to band Vice President and woodwind Captain Logan Herbert.
“Performing twice you get that much more crowd response and everyone is excited about performing again,” Herbert said. “We were excited about the win and we're looking forward to getting better as the year goes on.”
Nation Ford High School competed in the Roundtable Tournament of Bands at North Lincoln High School. They began the day by marching in the preliminary competition, where the band won first place awards for drum majors, percussion, visual performance, overall effect and musical performance. The color guard won second place in the preliminary competition and the band scored a first place win in Class 3A.
During the finals, the band continued the winning streak and scored first place wins for percussion, visual performance, overall effect and musical performance as well as second place for its drum majors.
The band was also named the competition's Grand Champion.
The first place awards are a nice way to kick off the marching season, said junior Brandon Hipkins, but he emphasized that competitions are not just about the trophies.
“It's not about being first for us,” Hipkins said. “It's about being the best we can be and the rest takes care of itself. And in warm up last night I felt like the band was focusing in as one band, each individual member was doing their individual responsibilities.”
Fort Mill's Marching Band will take this Saturday off but will compete on Oct. 17 in Massillon, Ohio, in the Bands of America Regional at Paul Brown Stadium.
Nation Ford High School will compete on Saturday at the Western Carolina University band competition.
The Indian Land High School Marching Band also brought home first place honors this weekend. The band won first place in Class A for its horn line and drum line, but finished second in its class at the Olde English Festival of Bands in Rock Hill.
“The kids were disappointed, but that tells me that they want to do well and will work hard to do well,” Director Mathew Willis said.
The students have two weeks to prepare for their next competition, Willis added, because they do not compete this Saturday. Instead, the students will spend the Saturday morning in a mini-band camp at the school, he said, preparing for the Oct. 17 competition in Blythewood.
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