Gallery • 10 Photos

It’s no secret that early morning wake up calls are a natural part of the life of a marching band student.  Long practices and performances in extreme weather, this time in the seasonally early cool temperatures, are just a part of the routine for these students.  Their day began with a 3 a.m. wake up call and 4:30 a.m. departure from the hotel to travel from Westchester, Ohio to Oxford, Ohio for the Bands of America Oxford Regional Championship where the Marching Colonels would compete with 31 marching bands from across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.  Included in this group was the 19-time National Finalist and two time Grand National Champion, Carmel High School from Carmel, Indiana who has more than 300 marching band members.

The Colonels took the field as the sun came up, after once again drawing the first performance time at BOA, a trend this band is all too familiar with.  While many of the other bands and their spectators slept, the 117 member band performed its 2018 show titled, “Paradise Lost” for a dedicated group of family members and other committed marching band enthusiasts in hopes of capturing the Class A Regional Championship.  Band students, parents, and staff then spent the majority of the day attempting to find shelter from the rain and a place to rest in between what can only be described as some of the most impressive displays of art witnessed in one place at one time while waiting for the preliminary awards ceremony.

At 5:45 p.m., fifteen hours after that early morning wake up call, the Colonels achieved their goal and were named the Class A Champions  in addition to receiving awards for Outstanding Music and Outstanding General Effect.  Band parent Laura Torres said it best when describing this achievement, “With a third of the band being brand new members, a new band director, and a 7:30 am performance time, I’m beyond proud!!”  But the day didn’t end there.  After a short break the band was expected for finals exhibition performance so band members and staff  were set in motion by a ticking clock and began preparations.

As Mother Nature painted the sky behind them and the music of the Colonel band filled Yager Stadium for a second time, fans witnessed an amazing sunset and were treated to an amazing performance as well.  From sun up to sun down, the Bourbon County Marching Colonels demonstrated once again that with hard work and dedication, the sky is the limit but their season is just getting started.  Their schedule is packed with big competitions, big competitors, and big opportunities to show the marching band world that the resilient Marching Colonels aren’t finished yet and are eager to defend their KMEA Class 3A championship proving that even after a “Hale” storm, they will leave no “Stone” unturned.