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Bands strut their stuff at state

06 Nov 2022 — Journal Gazette

Jordana Whitehead plays flute with the North Side Marching Band during their performance Saturday.

Brett Stover | The Journal Gazette

Marching bands from across Indiana, including seven from the Fort Wayne area, took the field Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium to compete for the state's marching band titles.

The highest-placing area band was Homestead in Class A, which was won by Carmel.

Homestead's show, "Wild as the Wind," placed sixth and elicited excitement from the crowd in Indianapolis, finishing on a strong note with a high-energy closer.

Bryen Warfield, director of the Spartan Alliance, said the crowd response was "awesome."

"It's a big venue to try to fill up," he said, "and they did a fantastic job today."

It's the band's second performance in the stadium this year, senior center snare Joel McChesney said. They'll be back next week, too, for the Bands of America Grand National Championships.

"I always love throwing down in Lucas Oil," McChesney said.

The Spartan Alliance, perennial contenders who have made the last 34 state finals, are still "getting back into the flow of things" after the COVID-19 pandemic, Warfield said.

"We're still having to learn things and teach things," he added. "We still have a young group, but it's been a really good season. I'm really proud of the growth, and that bodes well for next season and the year after that."

Homestead's marching band has focused on fundamentals all year.

"They've risen to the occasion," Warfield said of his students' performance Saturday. "They do the really hard things extremely well."

Carroll finished in eighth place in the class. They performed "Verses," a show inspired by a poem featured in the movie "Dead Poets Society."

Charger Pride has had "steady, smooth progress" throughout the year, director Doug Hassell said, including making a few improvements Saturday morning.

There was "a lot of emotion in that run," Hassell said. "The kids depended on each other, and I'm just incredibly proud of them."

North Side placed eighth in Class B, two spots higher than last year. Jasper took first place in the class. Director Aaron Edward King of the Marching Legends said Saturday was a "day of pride" for his band.

"These kids deserve to be here today, and I'm really proud of the diversity and the fact that we represent Fort Wayne community schools like this," King said. "I think the kids are thrilled to be here. I think they had a great performance."

Their show, "Phases," included moon-related props and music, including Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" and Van Morrison's "Moondance."

King called the Indiana State School Music Association State Finals his second favorite holiday after Christmas.

"At the beginning of the season, I'm not sure we thought this was gonna happen," King said of the band's participation. "But through a lot of tenacity and hard work, these kids made it happen. And I'm grateful for that."

Keegan Headlee, one of the Marching Legends' drum majors, said they've come a long way this year after losing a large class of seniors last year.

"We had a lot of people graduate out, so we have a really young band," Headlee said. "So that was a big challenge to overcome, but we seem to have dealt with it adequately. … If they're this good now, then who's gonna say what they're gonna do in three or four years?"

Concordia Lutheran was the area's top finisher out of the 10 bands in Class C, which was won by Ellettsville's Edgewood High School

The Marching Cadets, directed by Jennifer Porath, placed ninth. After the performance, she expressed pride in her students.

Porath said the show, "Come Thou Font," improved each week of the season and said it was "just a privilege to be here."

"It's just a really cool opportunity to be able to share God's love and God's message to a brand new audience in a very open space like this at Lucas Oil," Porath said. "To unashamedly share that message is very, very powerful and what Concordia is all about."

Devin Hairston, a senior in the Cadets' color guard, said the show was "awesome" and that the band and color guard worked together to overcome adversity during their performance.

"We had a little bit of a mishap in the ballad," Hairston said, "but I think we all worked together and got around it and still had a great show."

Hairston said the band has been on an "upwards incline" during the past four years and hopes incoming Concordia Lutheran students carry on that trajectory.

"I really hope that everyone who joins here in the future really understands that this is a family and not just a band," Hairston said.

Angola's Marching Hornets, who finished in 10th place, performed "The Purple Thread." Director Bob Myers said his band had a "pretty good run."

"I think they're about as good as they're going to be at this point," he said.

Myers began leading the band last year. Before that, their last visit to the state finals was in 2017.

"We went in last year and made it (to finals)," Myers said. "Having an opportunity to come back the very next year I think is … definitely building the foundation. Hopefully, we can continue to build on what we accomplished this season and today."

In Class D, Adams Central placed eighth, while Woodlan finished in 10th place. The class was won by Evansville's Mater Dei High School.

The Adams Central Squadron of Sound performed a show titled "Everest," complete with tents, winter coats and a mountain in the background.

Director Cory Kelley, whose tenure at the school began midway through camp this summer, said the Squadron's performance Saturday was their best all year.

"I'm really, really happy," Kelley said. "I thought this whole week we got better. They didn't shy away from being in the big, big, big house."

Laci Braun, a junior in the color guard, said the guard had "jitters" before performing in the cavernous stadium.

"In the past years I've been here, it's just grown so much," Braun said. "I couldn't be more proud than I am right now, because we've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

Robert Slattery, who directs the Spirit of Woodlan, said his band's performance Saturday of "Portals of Arcadia" was energetic.

"We had a few electronic issues," Slattery said, "but other than that it was great."

About a third of the band are junior high students at Woodlan Junior-Senior High School, Slattery said, crediting his students' work throughout the season.

Katie Chlebek, a senior in Spirit's color guard, said the season has been "rocky" because of the band's youth, but their run at the state finals "felt like a good performance to me."

"All those new kids, we pushed them really hard," she continued, "but they've really made it."

North Side drum major Jackson Prescott gives a salute at the beginning of their show in the ISSMA 2022 State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Richard Sitler | The Journal GazetteRichardSitlerSenior photographer rsitler@jg.nethttps://www.journalgazette.net/content/tncms/avatars/b/d8/a58/bd8a5850-231b-11ed-9304-d3248d182ad3.48c796ca0187ae3006b30b00c745be14.png

Colin Butler plays bass for North Side High School Marching Band in the ISSMA State Marching Band Finals.

Jacob Seely who plays the bass drum holds up his mallet at the end of North Side Marching Band ISSMA show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Jordana Whitehead plays flute with the North Side Marching Band during their performance Saturday.

Fans cheer their North Side High School Marching Band at the close of the band's show at the ISSMA 2022 State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Naomi Weber, foreground, and Caroline Lunz perform in the front ensemble of the Concordia Lutheran Marching Band at the ISSMA 2022 state Marching Band Finals on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Naomi Weber makes a cross with her mallets while performing with the Concordia Lutheran Marching Band at the ISSMA 2022 state Marching Band Finals on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Behind Weber is Caroline Lunz.

Devin Hairston and the color guard perform with the Concordia Lutheran Marching Band during their performance.

Devin Hairston and the color guard perform with the Concordia Lutheran Marching Band in the ISSMA State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Concordia Lutheran Marching Band drum major David Milliman salutes at the beginning of the band's performance.

Members of the North Side High School Marching Band front ensemble, from left, William Lu, Gracie Krayer, and Cameron Miller perform as the band competes in the ISMAA State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium at Indianapolis on Saturday.

Liam Campbell-Carpenter plays a solo on the keyboard during the North Side High School Marching Band ISSMA show at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Swirling flags add color to the show as North Side competes in the ISSMA 2022 State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Spirit of Woodlan Marching Band drum major Josiah Thomas salutes as his band takes the field for competition in Open Class D of the ISSMA 2022 State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Olivia Lake plays a solo as with the Spirit of Woodlan Marching Band.

Cory Vanhorn, a member of the front ensemble for the Spirit of Woodlan Marching Band, beats the drum during the performance.

Color guard members hold up a hoop as Rachel Sisson and Olivia Lake perform for the Spirit of Woodlan in the ISSMA 2022 State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Carroll High School Marching Band performs their show "Verses" during the state finals.

Carroll Drum Major Haley Reeder salutes at the close of the Carroll Marching Band performance the ISSMA State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

RichardSitlerSenior photographer rsitler@jg.nethttps://www.journalgazette.net/content/tncms/avatars/b/d8/a58/bd8a5850-231b-11ed-9304-d3248d182ad3.48c796ca0187ae3006b30b00c745be14.png

A Carroll High School Marching Band front ensemble member plays the triangle during the band's performance.

Drum Major Christopher Bay shows gratitude to the audience at the close of the Homestead High School Marching Band performance at the ISSMA State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

RichardSitlerSenior photographer rsitler@jg.nethttps://www.journalgazette.net/content/tncms/avatars/b/d8/a58/bd8a5850-231b-11ed-9304-d3248d182ad3.48c796ca0187ae3006b30b00c745be14.png

A member of the Homestead High School guard leaps in the air during the ISSMA State Marching Band Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Photos by Richard Sitler | The Journal GazetteRichardSitlerSenior photographer rsitler@jg.nethttps://www.journalgazette.net/content/tncms/avatars/b/d8/a58/bd8a5850-231b-11ed-9304-d3248d182ad3.48c796ca0187ae3006b30b00c745be14.png

Saxophonist Sai Ranani and trumpet player Alex Potter are featured at the end of the Homestead High School Marching Band's performance.

RichardSitlerSenior photographer rsitler@jg.nethttps://www.journalgazette.net/content/tncms/avatars/b/d8/a58/bd8a5850-231b-11ed-9304-d3248d182ad3.48c796ca0187ae3006b30b00c745be14.png

"Bands strut their stuff at state" Journal Gazette 06 Nov 2022: C1