Clovis band wins two

CLOVIS - It wasn't the easiest Saturday for the Clovis High Band.

But, who said that winning band competitions in two cities in one day was supposed to be simple?

The Wildcats band overcame some challenges, likely brought on by a heavy travel day, and took grand champion awards at the Lubbock Westerner and Amarillo's High Plains Marching Festival.

After performing its "Rachy" show at the Clovis High homecoming football game Friday night, the band got back at it again early with a morning performance in the Westerner.

There was just one round of competition, and Clovis took grand champion and awards for outstanding percussion and color guard.

The band got to Amarillo late in the afternoon, and put together a performance that was good enough for the final round of eight. But the band did not claim any "captions," the band term for special awards handed out prior to finals competition.

Director Bill Allred said the band had a so-so performance, and likely needed to recharge.

"It was not a good run," Allred said. "The kids knew it too. They were exhausted. We got them rested, got them fed. When we were back on the bus, I asked them, 'How many of you thought you were going to take everything easily?'

"They went out for finals and they just lit it up."

Allred said the band responded well to the challenge, but noted there are still some areas for improvement before Saturday's Bands of America competition in Midland. For now, Allred was glad Clovis got to learn without taking a loss.

"It let them know they're not invincible," Allred said. "They're not going to be handed something because they're Clovis. You've got to earn what you get. "

The Portales High band also competed at High Plains, not making the finals but finishing 14th overall in a field of bands mostly Clovis' size or larger.

"We got a lot of really good feedback from our judges," PHS Band Director Kelli Morrison said, "and walked away feeling really good about our performance."

Morrison said it was a disappointment to miss finals, but noted it was a tough week with inclement weather limiting practice opportunities leading up to a competition Portales hasn't attended in about 20 years.

Portales concluded its band season Tuesday in its district competition in Artesia.