Clovis, Portales bands finish fourth in state

RIO RANCHO -- Clovis High School's marching band placed fourth in a field of 18 Class 5A marching bands from around New Mexico on Saturday.

"I think the band had the best performance of the season yet. The band did very well," said Director Daniel Perez.

Host Rio Rancho won the first New Mexico Activities Association marching band contest in the 5A division with a score of 78.769, followed by Cleveland (78.700), Organ Mountain (77.525) and Clovis (74.950).

Roswell Goddard won the A-4A event with a score of 65.875. Portales (62.225) was fourth.

"The band's strengths are their resilience and grit," Perez said. "We left town around 5 a.m., (Saturday) drove on a bus for four hours then performed not once but twice at a state event."

Before this Saturday, the event that brought most of the state's marching bands together in competition was the annual Zia Marching Fiesta in Albuquerque.

Now that NMAA is involved, Perez said it will become the measuring stick for the state's top bands.

The Wildcat band's next trip will take it to Utah in a little less than two weeks.

"Up next we are excited to prepare for the Bands of America Regional in St. George, Utah on Nov. 9," Perez said.

"It's exciting because it is more of a national stage that involves bands from Utah, Texas, Colorado, California, and of course New Mexico."