By Brandi Miller

For the FCT

It has been nine years since the Red Bay High School band participated in a competition. Band members didn’t let that deter them from participating this year, and their practice and determination paid off.

The RBHS band brought home seven superior rankings and one excellent ranking in the Nov. 4 competition in Gordo. The band also earned best in class awards in band, color guard and drum major categories.

Thirty-seven band members traveled to Green Wave Stadium to perform the usual halftime show Tiger fans have been enjoying this football season.

“We performed ‘We Will Rock You,’ ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and ‘We are the Champions,’” said senior band member Anna Jackson. “All the songs are by the band Queen. We call our show ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Band.’”

Preparing for this competition has been months in the making. Jackson said preparation really began in July, when band camp began. From July until the day before competition, band members practiced in all types of weather from 2-5 p.m. three days a week and 2-3 p.m. two days a week.

All of this practice is necessary to be able to perform at the highest level.

The day of the competition began in the band hall with a roll call, and Jackson said all the band members knew as soon as the morning started it was going to be a chaotic day.

“After we loaded the trailer and the bus, we settled in for our two-hour drive to Gordo,” said Jackson. “When we arrived, we rushed to get dressed and ready for warm-up.  After we were ushered to our warm-up location by some members of Gordo’s band, we began rehearsal.

“Once we finished with rehearsal, the nerves really began to set in,” she added. “At 2:30 p.m. we lined up to march into the stadium to perform.”

When band members marched onto the field, they were met with an upsetting surprise.

“It had rained in Gordo the night before, and the result was a very muddy clay field,” Jackson said.

Despite the tricky marching and field conditions, “I can say with confidence that we truly left it all on the field,” Jackson said. “After our performance, we joined other bands in the stands to watch the rest of the competitions until 7:30 p.m., when our seniors and captains took the field to receive our awards.”

Awards were followed by pictures and the traditional chanting the band’s motto: “Family, respect and dedication.”

Jackson also said while the competition atmosphere was exciting, it was a little bittersweet for the senior band members because this would be their first and last band competition. For one senior in particular, it was a moment he will never forget.

Senior drum major Ethan Ray received a superior rating, which is the highest rating a drum major can receive at competition.

“It was a huge rush of excitement and shock,” said Ray. “When I first stepped on the podium so many months ago during band camp, I never thought I would win an award like this. When they first called my name, I just stood there, not fully believing it was my name they called.”

Besides the superior rating for drum major, RBHS band also received superior ratings for percussion, color guard and three different band categories and an excellent rating for majorettes.

The overall score for the RBHS band was superior.

“It was pure disbelief,” Jackson said. “Coming into our first competition, we had no idea what to expect. All the nerves melted away and were replaced with pure pride for our band, and it felt absolutely amazing knowing that all our hard work paid off.”

Band members who attended the competition, in addition to Ray and Jackson were majorettes Madison Fierro (captain) and Layla Bilstein; color guard Myah Jackson (captain), Claire Crandell, Lauren Ehler, Destiny Higgins, Kaylea Knoblock and Tessa Liles; trumpets Anna Jackson (band captain), Maggie Bates, Mattee Berry, Kyler Holland and Jade Walker; saxophones Megan Parker, Leah Williams and Lily Wright; low brass Mason Bates and Tayteonna Terry; flutes Ashlee Clements, Gracie Davis, Jean Marie Moore and Elizabeth Smith; clarinets Savannah Bates and Addie Mauldin; percussion Christopher Smith, Carrie Borden, Andrew Ray, Harlee Brewer, Kaleb Kent, John Myrick, Stephen Strickland and Owen Terry; band aide Drent Robbins; and director Jonathan Hill.