Band Ends Marching Season In Grand Style

The Mt. Pleasant Panther Marching Band capped off a successful season October 15 with stellar performances in Muscatine and Quincy.

The day started with the State Marching Band Festival, sponsored by the Iowa High School Music Association, in Muscatine. The band received a Division I rating before a large crowd of parents and fans.

Then everyone made the 2.5 hour trip to Quincy, Illinois for the 16th Annual Octoberfest 2011 Marching Band Field Competition at Flinn Stadium. Mt. Pleasant left with six trophies, including Best Color Guard, Best Drum Majors, and first place in their class based on school size.

Highlight of the night in Quincy was winning the Grand Championship of the field competition among all schools. It was especially satisfying that they topped an outstanding band from Troy Buchanan High School, whose enrollment is three times that of Mt. Pleasant.

This year's field show is titled "The Race", an original composition by band director Jim DePriest, and based on a poem by D.H. Groberg.

The band performed their show for the final time Tuesday night, October 18, on Evans Field at Mapleleaf Athletic Complex, at All Bands Night. Performing was the 5th grade band, 6th grade band, 7/8 Middle School band, and the high school band. A special treat was the high school drum line performing the routine that earned them first place at an indoor competition at Blue Springs in Metro Kansas City.