Midland High School Marching Band

Chapter 12

The band made their way to their seats by the 45 yard line. Section 111. The whole 
section belonged to Midland. Each of the large bands got a section. As expected, Hillsburg and Meadowbrook sat on either side of the Mud Pigs. 

The drum majors from the three groups all gave one another a joking, yet competitive glare. The time was now. Not later. Now. There was no more tomorrow for them.

The feeling was one that, to Joe, was unmatched by any point in his life. This was not his first time at this competition, but this was totally different this time around. It was so much more stressful, but so much more fun. 

As the bands performed in reverse order of their rankings, the skill level of the bands slowly got better and better. The rankings made total sense to Joe. The only real outlier for that rule was Alvirne. Even when Joe took out his newfound bias for the Broncos, they looked like a top five or top ten band there. Their show, Heroes of Hollywood, which included pieces from Captain America, Superman, and The Incredibles, was absolutely fantastic. All of their sets were hit in perfect sync, their sets were interesting, they embraced musicality and obscure time signatures in their show. It was a top-tier performance, for sure. 

Most of the rest of the bands until around the top twenty or so were relatively average, and there were very limited moments where the crowd, except for fans of the individual groups, would cheer for a particular set or transition. Some of them were very solid, there was no doubt of that; they just didn't blow anyone away. They would probably remain in just about the same ranking by the time they left Nissan Stadium. Granted, unimpressive in this competition is impressive in any other competition around the country. but when it is the top 100 bands in the nation, the top 20 or so will obviously gain more popularity than the lower 80 or so. 

Things started to heat up, though, when the top bands, particularly the top ten, performed. Joe and Kierstan were beginning to feel the pressure between the time that the number ten band, the San Antonio Thunder, and the number six band, the Syracuse Junior Orange, played. 

In that time, the Marching Moles and the Mud Pigs had both left their seats and marched to the sidelines where they would eventually take the field in exhibition. On their way down, Joe and Kierstan made it a point to wish the Hillsburg drum majors the best of luck in their performance, and the Moles' drum majors extended similar wishes. It felt as if the rivalry was heating up, yet cooling down for the first time. At this point, Joe was not friends with Sam, Louis, and Logan. They were rivals until Midland marched off the field, and at that point, the bands would still share the sentiment until Meadowbrook had marched their show. 

As Midland waited along the visitor's sideline, the exact spot where the New England Patriots stood just over 24 hours prior, the moment began to set in for Joe. This time, however, Joe did not feel anxious. He felt excited, of course, but it most certainly wasn't anxiety. 

The Moles were also absolutely flawless. They were going to be extremely difficult to beat. Every set hit with perfection, no mistakes, regardless of the size. Their show was interesting. They were completely perfect. But Joe and Kiers didn't have time to think about any of that. It was their time to shine. Before Joe could think too much, the Midland Mud Pigs were being announced to the field. 

As the band lined up in set one of Fireball with their drum majors ahead of them, Joe and Kierstan gave each other their signature "let's do this" look. They were locked in and ready to put on a show. 

Joe and Kierstan took their podiums on the 40s, and they got the band ready to go. 

"Tweet! Tweet! Tweet tweet tweet tweet!" 

That's all they got. The band was off and into "Fireball". The seamless transition between "Fireball" and "Let's Get Loud" sent the crowd into a frenzy. They were about as loud as they were for the Moles just before them. They were on track to accomplish their goal. The competition win was within their grasp. The end of "Let's Get Loud" sent the crowd into hysterics.