On October 12, high school marching bands from across the state competed at the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) and Mississippi Bandmasters Association (MBA) Regional State Marching Evaluation. This year’s regional evaluations took place at five Mississippi high schools: Region I at Tupelo, Region II at Grenada, Region II at Neshoba Central, Region IV at Pearl, and Region V at Gulfport.
At the regional competitions, each marching band’s overall performance was evaluated by three judges, and the judges’ individual scores were then combined for an overall score for each participating band. However, four specific areas of competition were also evaluated, including the performance of each band’s drum major, color guard, majorette/dance team, and percussion section. In each instance, the scoring criteria consisted of a three-level rating scale: I for superior, II for excellent, III for average, or IV for poor.
To move on from this regional competition to participate in the 2024 MBA/MHSAA Marching Championships, a band had to receive an overall superior score from the regional judges. This meant that at least two of the three individual judges rated the high school band’s marching performance as superior. (In other words, there was little room for errors of any kind.)
Unlike other MHSAA sports competitions, Mississippi high school bands were grouped via region, rather than the actual numerical size of each school’s student body. As such, 1A bands were evaluated alongside 7A bands in these regional competitions.
For example, on October 12, in the Region 1 MBA/MHSAA State Marching Evaluation, 33 high school marching bands from Northeast Mississippi performed on the iconic blue turf of Tupelo High School’s Renasant Field. Twenty-five of those performing bands received an overall superior rating and will move on to the state’s 2024 MBA/MHSAA Marching Championships.
Interestingly, separate championship competitions will be held for each MHSAA classification: Classes 2A, 3A, and 5A school bands will be held at Brandon High School on October 26, and Classes 4A and 6A competitions will also take place that day at Pearl High School. Then, Class 7A and Class 1A championships will occur on November 2 at Northwest Rankin High School.
Now, if you are like me, the world of high school marching bands is totally new. Yes, I love watching these high school bands perform at various athletic events. Double yes, as a mother and grandmother of Mississippi athletes and a daughter and mom of Mississippi coaches, I can probably answer questions about every competitive sport played in our state’s high schools – except marching band competitions.
Therefore, I had to get some help to gather this information, and Mr. Dustin Haley, the director of Union County Schools Marching Band, was so patient and gracious to help me. And it’s more than obvious by now that I am a wee bit (alright, a whole lot) partial to my kiddos at East Union Attendance Center. So, I just had to share with you some interesting facts I learned from Mr. Haley about his band students.
“Our band is very unique,” explained Haley, “because we combined students from four Union County Schools to create one band. Students from East Union, Ingomar, West Union, and Mrytle schools united to form the Union County Band.”
This unified band gives students from across Union County an opportunity each student might not have received otherwise, since the band members all come from small schools. But together, they have proved to be a mighty combination of talent and tenacity. In fact, the band received a superior rating for both its color guard’s and drum major’s performances.
“I am so proud of these students,” said Haley, “and we are working constantly to grow and expand our band throughout the county schools.”
I concur!
And honestly, I am super proud of all the high school students from each of the five regions of our state who were dedicated and determined enough to march in all weather conditions – rain or shine – to develop their talents, support their schools, and entertain their communities.
March on, Mississippi students! You are amazing!
