New Mexico Gadsden Marching Band, the final performers of Eastern Arizona College’s 57th Band Day, earned a Superior rating in the Open Class on Oct. 21.
Gadsden earns open-class superior plus four other awards
By Raymundo Frasquillo
THATCHER – “You stole the show,” Eastern Arizona College marching band director Geoff DeSpain told Snowflake band director T.K. Rollins.
The Snowflake Lobos Pride Band was as perfect performing as could be, capping the day by earning every award possible during the 57th EAC Band Day on Oct. 21. Thirteen bands were on hand, five in Class 1A/2A, six in 3A/4A, and two in an Open Class.
“They (Snowflake) did a great job, it’s unusual (for that to happen),” DeSpain said adding, “We usually have between 13-18 bands.”
“Judges look at in-step marching, fluidity, formation, intonation, stay together as (an) ensemble, and general effect (or) how all components come together for entertainment,” he said. “The ratings also have recorded comments in the field of marching that are helpful for state competitions later in the year.”
Along with the overall Class 3A/4A Superior rating, awards for Best Music, Best Marching, Best Percussion, Best Drum Major, and Best Auxillary were hauled in by the Lobos on John T. Mickelson Field.
Payson, Safford, and Show Low each earned Excellent ratings, and Holbrook and Lakeside Blue Ridge earned Good ratings.
In Class 1A/2A, Kearny Ray earned a Superior rating plus Best Music and Best Marching, Benson and Pima both earned an Excellent rating, Morenci a Good rating, and Thatcher also performed but did not compete for a rating. Benson also left with Best Percussion, Pima with Best Drum Major, and Morenci with Best Auxillary Awards.
The Open Class had both New Mexico Gadsden and Santa Teresa earning Superior ratings. Gadsden also left with Best Music, Best Marching, Best Percussion, and Best Drum Major while Santa Teresa also had the Best Auxillary award.
Snowflake Lobos Pride Band
How did they accomplish so much in such a short amount of performance time?
“We are still in the process of trying to build our program back up post-COVID,” Rollins said. “We haven’t been to an ABODA festival for about 5 years.”
“We do have a couple of parent volunteers that have stepped up to help at rehearsal for the last couple weeks to help us get the show ready. But for the most part, the band has student leadership of Drum Majors, Color Guard Captains, Section Leaders, Brass Captain, Woodwind Captain, Drumline Captain, Librarian, Morale Officers, & Quartermaster.
The students typically help clean up drill themselves and hold each other accountable. The section leaders sometimes hold Friday sectionals outside of class, and once a week we stay after school until 5:00 p.m. The drumline captain in particular has been relentless about getting his section ready. He did weekly sectionals every Friday, and also some lunch rehearsals.”
On hand for the competition was a 72-member Lobos Pride Band, having a 22-piece woodwind section of nine clarinets, three flutes, and 10 saxophones; a 21-member brass section with 11 trumpets, three trombones, two mellophones, three baritones, and two Sousaphones; a 13 member percussion section; and a color guard numbering 14.
The Clarinet players were Cressa Bateman, William Blair, Leilani Carlson, Mel Crookston, Payton Eberline, Karin Gutierrez, Daniel Lyman, Cobrin Millett, and Shyanne Reynolds.
Mark Click, Julia Jones, and Brandon Mannion were on the flute.
Saxophone players included Quinn Abalos, Brie Herring, Tank Holland, Brock Lofgreen, and Devyn O’Farrell on Alto; Danica Skousen on Tenor; and Keiryn Anderson, Nick Bairn, Gwen Holland, and Corbin McCullough on Baritone.
It was Jaden Atchinson, Sal Krueger, Betsy Peterson, Isaac Peterson, Parker Sherwood, Zane Simpson, Cole Stapley, James Stevens, Jason Tenney, Joseph Tenney, and Grayson Wells on trumpet; Keegan Foshee, Glory Prestwich, and Matthew Ramirez on Trombone; Jacob Anson and Savana Farnsworth on mellophone; Zane Hansen, Paisley Lunt, and Caiden Talley on Baritone; and Hyrum Peterson and Colton Reid on the Sousaphone.
Percussion members included Natalie Christiansen, Carlos Esping, Michael Esping, Abbie Gardner, Dallin Gardner, Rachel Gresko, Maddi Hagelstein, Jay Peterson, Samuel Simpson, Zach Stockton, Colby Waldrep, Joseph Whiting, and Cade Willis.
The color guard included Annie Eilertsen, Kassie Haws, Maria Hargett, Kelly Melser, Jaylene Ortiz, Hailey Sedig, Katelyn Sedig, Moriah Stradling, Rikki Tague, Ellen Tenney, Cambry Tenney, Liefde Tenney, Rebecca Tenney, and Lydia Tucker.
Drum Majors numbered two in Elijah Lyman and Owen Rhoton.
T.K Rollins was the Lobos Pride Band Director and Jennie Jensen was the guard coach.
Snowflake’s musical selections for its’ How to Train Your Dragon Show were This is Berk, Romantic Flight, and Test Drive / Coming Back Around.
Morenci Pride Band
The Pride Band had 32 members with 11 in the woodwind section, seven in the brass section, seven in the percussion section, seven on the flag line, and two drum majors.
Five clarinets, three flutes, and three saxophones comprised the woodwind section. Juniors Philson Benally III and LilyAnn Jweinat, sophomore Johnny Madrid, and freshmen Alandra Dalton and Ximena Esparza on clarinet; senior Alyssa Polanco, and freshmen Kirsten Farrell and Avery Wiltbank on flute; and senior Gabriel Clancy, and juniors James Anderson and Manuel Grijalva Jr. on saxophone.
Senior trumpets Justin Leatherman and sophomore Emma Kerrigan doubled as drum majors. The other trumpets were freshmen David Jacobson and Isaac Whetten. Sophomore Joseph Lopez was on French Horn, senior Douglas Sipes on trombone, and senior Joel Jorelmon on Sousaphone.
Percussion members included juniors Jeremy Knutsen and Gabriela Provencio; sophomores Margarita Aguilera, Maxwell Clancy, and Destiny Lamoree; and freshmen Robert Hobbs and Miles Romero.
Senior Nevaeh Moreno; sophomores Jaimelee Frisby, October Hernandez, Mathew McGahee, and Eleasah Spean-Austin; and freshmen Isabella Fagone and Evelyn Jimenez-Flores comprised the flag line.
The Pride Band was under the direction of Roger Munoz, with assistance from Gene Willey and Juana Verlander as flag coach.
Morenci’s musical selections included, “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Wanted Dead or Alive”, and “Livin’ on a Prayer”.
