Mount Vernon High School Band earned their seventh consecutive Division I rating at State Marching Band Contest with a score of 78.8.
The competition was held Saturday, Oct. 8.
The state competition was among the band’s accolades and trophies received for the season.
The band placed first in Class 3A at Fort Madison, also earning caption awards for best percussion, best winds and best color guard. The band placed third at Linn-Mar competition out of 11 teams with a score of 76.7, second place out of nine bands at Prairie with a score of 80.9 and earning people’s choice award for best band in Class 1A, Class 2A and Class 3A. The band also was fourth place in the Five Seasons band competition out of twelve bands.
“We end our competition season at Clinton Saturday Oct. 16,” said Scott Weber, Mount Vernon High School Band. “We have an indoor finale Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium with free entry. Our final home game is Friday, Oct. 22 at the First Street building.”
Weber said he has enjoyed this year’s band.
“We performed a very difficult show this year and the kids worked extremely hard to get it where it is today,” Weber said. “The music is very difficult and when you put it with drill and memorize music, it is a large challenge. With over 67 members freshman and sophomores, it could have been a rough year but the band worked well together and fought hard to get the show together and I think the placements and scores speak for themselves. The band ended up having a terrific season.”
Weber also gave a shout out to the senior class.
“Those 24 students endured a lot to get our band to this point, and I am very grateful for all of the sacrifices they made to make sure our band was ready to perform when it needed to be,” Weber said. “They put in a lot of extra time to make sure we were ready. It paid off!”
The band will also be performing in Chicago for the third time at the Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade. The band previously performed at that parade in 2016 and 2018.
“This year’s band will be our largest to march down State Street so we are very excited,” Weber said.
The Mount Vernon Marching Mustangs march down First Street during the Homecoming parade.