The Delta High School Panther Pride Marching Band recently competed in the Class 2A Championship coming out with an exemplary performance and a big sound. The band qualified for finals with a score of 67.15, the first time since 2011.
Due to weather conditions, there was a delayed start time causing finals to be canceled later that night. Despite this, Drum Major Andrew Priestley and the band pulled through and left it all on the field.
“A lot of what was going through my mind was this is what it’s all about. Standing up there on the podium, it’s a surreal experience, and seeing all of those people who you’ve been working with for months on end, it’s amazing,¨ said Priestley.
Band director Stuart Johnson set a goal for the band: to qualify for the CBA championship finals.
“Topping it off, they reached the goal we set at the start, back in August,” said Johnson. Delta placed above Arvada High School, Montezuma-Cortez High School, Englewood High School, and Berthoud High School.
Delta’s show entitled “Whodunit?” includes a storyline of a jewel robbery acted out by the dance team and a musical performance.
The question everyone is asking is: why was this year’s marching band so
successful? The band started off the season with a score of 58.3 at the Colorado West Marching Band competition. In their regional competition, the band ended with a score of 65.80 and was ranked third in the state for class 2A bands, right behind Elizabeth who placed second, and The Classical Academy who placed first.
The band ultimately ended the season with a score of 67.15 behind The Classical Academy, Elizabeth, and Eaton.
“We had a drum major that not only did his part but he went above and beyond to help us with marching and music and he took suggestions really well. Overall, I think our section leaders really rose up and helped with that too,¨ said section leader Rebecca Gonzalez.
There are a lot of things that went into this year’s marching season for it to be successful, such as parents volunteering on their own time to help out— from moving equipment to bringing snacks and food and running concessions to traveling with the band.
Over the course of three months, the band worked tirelessly, rehearsing over the summer, before school started, on the weekends, after school rehearsals, and in-school rehearsals. The band’s long weekday rehearsals and effort gave them a spot for finals. The final score reflects all the time that the band spent together rehearsing. Sometimes the band would even do extended rehearsals, missing the last hour of the day.
