Band places first in invitational

The+Tiger+Marching+Band+performs+their+award+winning+show+Revolve.

Angela Valle

The Tiger Marching Band performs their award winning show “Revolve.”

Story by Matthew Martin and Langley Leverett

The Tiger Marching Band competed at the Mt. Pleasant Invitational Marching Contest Saturday, Oct. 14. Texas High placed first out of twenty competitors, which hasn’t happened in four years. Their performance is titled “Revolved,” and it received all ones.

The bands to make it to finals were: Clarksville, Liberty Eylau, Atlanta, Marshall, Pleasant Grove, Paris and Texas High.

Although they won high ratings, marching season is far from over, and they expect to keep pushing forward and trying their best to receive first place again.

“I’m proud to have shared this victory with everyone,” sophomore Andrew Reed said. “But we can’t start slacking. We have been giving 110 percent, but now I believe it should be 150 percent. It’s just the beginning.”

As their show is beginning to shape into a clean and crisp spectacle, the band’s aspirations are building into higher goals.

“We’re continuing to improve every performance,” band director Arnie Lawson said. “That’s exactly where we want to be at, at the end of the season. We’re just going to continue to improve, I have no doubt they’re going to let up.”

It’s no longer about individuals but finally being a family, so while the win feels great and the trophy looks good, the better feeling is that we are truly one band and now we have the smiles and awards to prove it.

— Jake Weems

Working to be a top notch production has brought the students together and created a sense of unity among the marching band.

“Getting first for the band is an amazing thing. For several years we have received best percussion, but never first overall. So while getting first percussion has been awesome, I feel that since we got first overall but not percussion really shows how the band has changed over the years,” senior Jake Weems said. “It’s no longer about individuals but finally being a family, so while the win feels great and the trophy looks good, the better feeling is that we are truly one band and now we have the smiles and awards to prove it. That’s something our band hasn’t had before, but I’m glad I was able to be a part of it when it finally happened.”