Hearts beating, hand in hand, members of the Might Eagle Band nervously await their results after performing in the final round of the UIL State Championship. For the first time in Prosper’s 6A history, the marching band has made it to state finals.
For many, the wait was worth it.
“I’ve been in band for all 4 years of high school,” senior Service Coordinator Aarush Kangokar said. “Making state finals after years of work definitely felt rewarding, you know, the end product coming from hours and hours of work was for sure worth it.”
The road to UIL State was a long one, with band members undergoing several stages of the process throughout the year.
“So, the first step was competing at UIL Region,” senior Swetha Sundara Raman said. “Then, we competed at UIL Area and placed among the top four bands which basically qualified us for the state championship.”
Between local invitationals, and eventually the state competition, band members practiced nearly year-round. “Band camp” took up two weeks of their summer during which they practiced marching from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“I just remember feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders,” senior Trumpet Captain Abigail (Abby) Brad said. “It felt like all of the hours put in finally paid off.”
Throughout the season, the band has been honing in on their skills from last year, focused on their goal of ultimately winning the championship.
“I think our biggest challenge has been competing in a region which is so band-heavy,” senior Miller Wentz said. “The teams which competed at UIL Area 3 (are some) of the very best, and after qualifying to state, we made sure to work on keeping our energy up.”
These improvements were clearly visible to members in the audience. A total of 41 bands competed at the class 6A UIL State Championship with 83 bands across Texas competition in different classes. Over 1,000 people watched from the bleacher stands.
“I was watching the band perform because my sister is in band, and it was amazing,” sophomore Elise Leavitt said. “I mean, obviously there are bands better than the Mighty Eagle Band, but I’m so proud of them for being one of the top in Texas.”
After months of practicing and competing, the marching band represented Prosper High School at UIL Band State Finals on Tuesday, Nov. 4 placing 14th overall. The Prosper Drumline will compete this Saturday, Nov. 6 at 6:48 p.m. for the Lonestar Percussion Competiton.
“Being on the field was nerve racking as we counted through the bands making finals,” drum major Katie Lynn Sepper said. “Once we heard our name being called 14th, we did our salute and then started crying waiting for them to break rank. I was so proud of what we accomplished and I’m so happy with how this turned out.”
This article was edited by Trisha Panicker, Kate Duncan and Victoria Byers
