Published: Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 / Updated: Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 03:21 PM
Jackets' band wows Buckeyes, gets ready for Upper State
Indian Land takes a 3rd in Blythewood
FORT MILL --
The Fort Mill Marching Band traveled more than 12 hours from home last weekend to bring home their most recent trophy – a second place finish in the highly competitive Bands of America Regional Championship.
The band competed in the Bands of America Regional Championship in Massillon, Ohio. They placed second in Class AA during the preliminary competition and earned one of the 10 spots in the evening finals, where they won the award for Best General Effect and finished second overall. The band missed winning first place by only six-tenths of a point.
Fort Mill's second-place finish ties the record for the band's highest finish ever at a Bands of America Regional. The band has finished second place overall at six previous BOA Regional competitions.
The band left for the competition on Friday afternoon, arriving in Ohio after midnight. After a nervous and excited night's sleep, band member Drew Holcombe said that the group was ready for the preliminary competition at 11 a.m. Winning second place during the preliminary event allowed the band to compete late in the finals, a move that sometimes gives the band a competitive edge, he said.
“It's more fun when it's a later performance time,” Holcombe said. “The stadium lights are on, there are more people. I think there is a different mindset when you perform at night.”
On Saturday, the band will stay closer to home for competition. The Yellow Jackets travel to Boiling Springs High School for the South Carolina AAAA Upper State Championship. Fort Mill performs at 9:45p.m. The top six bands from Upper State will qualify for state finals on Oct. 31.
Holcombe said he isn't sure who the band's main competition is at Upper State this weekend, and he isn't sure that knowing would be helpful to the group.
“It can help, because you know what you're working for but it can hurt because if you think you're going up against a bunch of weak bands you can get over confident,” Holcombe said.
Indian Land's Marching Band performed Saturday at the Tournament of Bands in Blythewood. The band finished third out of 10 bands in Class A. The drum line also received first place in Class A. The band will perform Saturday at Upper State in Clinton. The Nation Ford Marching Band will also compete at the Upper State Championship in Clinton on Saturday, in Class AAA. The band did not compete last weekend because too many students were out with the flu or severe colds.
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