Olney High School Marching Band Advances to Regionals

It’s officially marching season and the Pride of Olney High School Band advanced from the regional contest. On Saturday, Oct. 18, the band competed at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls against other bands in the region and they advanced to the Area competition, which was on Oct. 26 in Mineral Wells.

“Our result was a 1, which is the highest score that also advances us to the area contest,” Sawyer Edgington, Senior Drum Major, said.

The band has three major competitions during marching season, which are Regionals, Area, and State.

“After the Regional competition is Area, which will have a prelims and finals,” Edgington said. “The top three bands in finals advance to the State marching contest in San Antonio.”

At the Area competition, the band gave two performances to hopefully advance to State. The band hasn’t made it to the State competition since 2017.

“The main goal for the Pride of Olney High School band is to advance to state,” Katy Rosales, Junior Drum Major, said. “With the hard work and dedication every band member has put in, we hope to make it further than we did last year.”

The band has many strengths and also weaknesses they’re working through to qualify for State.

“Our two biggest issues as of right now are with marching, and while it only occurs in certain people, those people tend to stick out greatly,” Maddox Johnson, Junior Drum Major, said. “Our other problem is performance anxiety among band members. At most football games and festivals I’ve noticed that some don’t play and march to their full abilities.”

Each of the drum majors’ main goal is to be in the top three bands at the Area contest.

“If the band plays to their full potential I have no doubt that we will make finals at Area, but my opinion on state qualification just depends on how the other bands perform,” Johnson said. “The best thing about being in the band is watching the ensembles grow throughout the season and watching us succeed.”