21 October 2001 East Breaks Another School Record With Grand Champion at Green According to many cynical (or wishful thinking) locals, 2001 was supposed to be the year that the East Marching Band's recent legacy of success was to come to an end. They cited many factors that would surely bring the band's level of performance down: the third band director change in two years, the band's numbers reducing by a third in two years, and their school being reestablished as an independent entity. Surely, this meant that 2001 was the end, right? The band responded with one of their most successful years yet, culminating in their closing statement of the year: Grand Champion. At Green High School's Festival of Bands--held on Saturday, October, 20--the band was awarded their third Grand Champion (3 out of 6) award of 2001. Also, with the band's performance in Class AA, the band has qualified for OMEA State Finals in all four of OMEA's size classifications (C, B, A, and AA). The band also met one of the most coveted goals of any band: breaking 270. To achieve a 270 (out of 300) in OMEA's scoring system, a band must average at least a 90 out of 100 in each of the major captions by which a band is judged. With East's score of 270.9 at Green this weekend, only the second time in school history, the band met this most difficult goal. One factor which helped facilitate this achievement was the band's Marching & Maneuvering score of 95 out of 100. This score breaks an East record for high score in a single caption. In Class AA competition, the band received First Place Auxiliary, Second Place Percussion, and First Place Band. In addition to Grand Champion honors in overall competition, the band's color guard won Best Overall Auxiliary, with an amazing 4 point advantage (out of 100) than all other competing bands. Although East's percussion was originally announced as being the First Place, Class AA Percussion winners, confusion arose when Paul Blazer (Ashland, Kentucky) was announced the Overall Percussion Winners, since they were announced as second place in AA. East's percussion was actually third overall, with Minford second, and Paul Blazer first. Congratulations East, on your achievements at Green and during all of 2001! Class C Awards 1st Place Auxiliary: Peebles 1st Place Percussion: Portsmouth
West 1st Place Band: Peebles Class B Awards 1st Place Auxiliary: Northwest 1st Place Percussion: Minford 1st Place Band: Northwest Class AA Awards 1st Place Auxiliary: East 1st Place Percussion: Paul
G. Blazer 1st Place Band: East Overall Awards Best Auxiliary: East East would also like to take a moment to congratulate all of the local bands on perhaps the most competitive year on the local scene in fifteen years. The East Band is proud of your accomplishments, and would like to point out that in a year when fewer bands have qualified across the State than in previous years, the local area is sending more bands to Finals than it has in years. To those bands that didn't qualify, please know that your shows were not for naught. Your art has been enjoyed by thousands of spectators who thoroughly appreciate your hard work and dedication. In this trying time for our nation, you have helped lighten heavy hearts, and for at least a moment in time, our problems were put aside as you claimed your fifteen minutes on the competition fields each week. Thank you, bands, for an incredibly memorable 2001 competition season! CONGRATULATIONS!!! |