Education digest —

Reader submitted: Marching band first runner up at Tumbleweed Classic

Starting with a 7:30 a.m. rehearsal, the Clovis Wildcat marching band began its day last Saturday. It was a long day of music, marching and extreme tension all combined. At 10 p.m., almost 15 hours later, the results of the Tumbleweed Classic held in Denver City, Texas were announced. Unfortunately for the band, their best wasn’t enough to overcome the extreme competition offered by the more than 22 marching bands representing schools from eastern New Mexico and west Texas. Having survived the preliminary competition with seven other bands, the Wildcat Band was selected as the first runner-up in the finals competition. The Grand Champion title which the Clovis Band has held for the past nine years was awarded to a Lubbock area school. As the Wildcat Marching Band marched off the field, heads held high, they knew they had given it their best, as they began preparing for their next competition show.

The band will now practice in earnest for the Oct. 23 Tournament of Bands marching competition being held at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Here some of the best high school marching bands of southern Texas and New Mexico will compete for that coveted Grand Champion award. The band placed third in this competition last year, with hopes of a higher rating this year. One week later, on Oct. 30, the band will travel to Albuquerque for the Zia Festival.

Upcoming local performances of the band will be at all the Friday night home football game half-time shows during the month of October. The Band will also perform for the public Oct. 16 at the Noodles and Notes Marching Band Night being held in the high school stadium. Tickets for this annual all-you-can-eat-spaghetti dinner fundraiser will soon be going on sale from any band member or at the door. Dinner will be served at the First United Methodist Church on Sycamore Street from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 16. A ticket will also admit you to the Band’s performance at Leon Williams Stadium starting at 7 p.m.

— Submitted by Roger Wygant