Marching Band Champs
Successful band sweeps competiton in Modesto
By Blake Garrett Anderson
Congratulations to the Valley
Christian Marching Band and Color Guard for their heroic victory
in the Western Band Association Championships!
With an undefeated season behind them, Valley musicians boarded
busses on Saturday, November 20 for the two-hour drive to Johansen
High, Modesto. Grabbing their shining instruments, they prepared
to compete in the preliminaries. It was a close match, VCHS coming
in second at 87.85 points, a virtually non-existent six hundredths
of a point behind Valley View at 87.91, a margin so small it could
have resulted from something as insignificant as an casual, split-second
glance from one of the judges. VCHS was also awarded Best Percussion
and Best Music.
Almost tying in the preliminaries left prospects for the rest
of the competition indecisive. With anxious family, friends, the
staff of 17 schools, and even representatives from the U.S. Marine
Corps standing on the sidelines, hearts were beating fast when
at last the finals came.
It was a tough match, both
Valley Christian and Valley View towered into the 90’s,
exceptionally high scores for competitions of this caliber. For
a moment victory seemed uncertain, but then Valley Christian reached
forth with a white-gloved hand of hope, a hand that knew it had
not lost a competition yet this year and was not about to yield.
VCHS attained victory at 92.34 points, a solid lead on Valley
View’s score of 90.9. Spirits high in their triumph, VCHS
musicians stood proudly in the end zone to receive their awards.
With such an impressive victory, Valley won the sweepstakes trophy,
as well as Best Percussion, Best Music and Best General Effect.
The band was also awarded a silver scepter by the Marine Corp
for best displaying the Marine Corp spirit.
