Wildcat band third at contest

Judged from its music performance to its general effect, the Clovis High School Wildcat Band finished in third place in the Bands of America’s regional championship Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz.

The marching band compiled a score of 84.925, only 0.125 from second place, said Clovis High School Band Director Bill Allred.

He said the performance was one of the most memorable the CHS band has put together in the 28 years he’s worked with the group.

“It was just an emotional performance. They connected with the crowd so wonderfully. You know, they hit 'em hard with loud sounds and with great finesse … The crowd’s engagement and the band’s comfort was special,” Allred said.

The Wildcats opened their competition season by securing fifth place in Midland, Texas, and finishing second in Las Cruces.

“The kids and parents have been absolutely amazing. They’ve done everything that we asked them to do. They’ve worked hard.”

Allred also conceded, “It's been a slow start to the year.”

He said with temperatures in the triple digits, untimely rain, and construction at the football stadium it has been difficult for the students to make it to rehearsal. Allred said despite the challenges, he is proud of the resilience they’ve shown so far.

“The kids have just been champions. They’ve been working hard, they’ve been overcoming obstacles. Our show this year also had been quite a bit more sophisticated than years in the past,” Allred said.

The Wildcats had steep competition at Saturday’s event, Allred said, as they competed against six state-champion schools. He said it was a fun experience for all the kids to learn from and it will encourage them to strive for better.

When the marching band isn’t competing, it’s practicing the fundamentals for the next performance. There are “countless hours” dedicated to making the showmanship more sophisticated and easy to follow, Allred said.

Allred said the Wildcats are preparing for their next performance on Oct. 23 – when all residents are encouraged to watch a live performance at 8 p.m. at the high school stadium. He said it is a free event, which will also host the band’s beef raffle drawing; the prize is a quarter of beef.

After that comes the 45th annual Zia Marching Band Fiesta on Oct. 28 at University Stadium in Albuquerque. Most consider it the state championship for New Mexico high school bands. Clovis has won the crown nine consecutive years.

“Zia is a huge tradition for this band program. … It’s become a longstanding tradition that the alum and the community and the kids know this. They know what’s at stake and they know how they perform at this is the highest tradition,” Allred said.

He said there is “no doubt” the band will compete with the tradition of years past.