After practicing for two months, the band earned a two rating in the Bonner Springs Marching Festival on Thursday, Sept. 22. The marching competition took place on the Bonner Springs Football Field and lasted from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Having only seven teams compete in the festival, the competition was close throughout.

The scoring was based on musicianship, marching fundamentals, and the overall general effect of both [musicianship and marching fundamentals] combined. The competition was scored on a scale of one to five, one being a perfect score, and five being the worse possible score. The competition was judged by two former band directors, one from University of Missouri and one from Kansas State University.

Arriving at the school at 7:30 a.m., the band began its warm-ups at 8:30 a.m. At 9:15 a.m., the band took the field and began their routine.

The performance was lead by the band’s drum majors rather than the typical instructor. By the end of their performance, most band members were pleased with their results. Sophomore band member JD Dandridge said that overall the team did above average.

“We had good rhythm and flow, but couldn’t find the right sound,” Dandridge said.

The competition was separated into two classes, one being the ‘Black’ class and the other being the ‘Orange’ class. In each division there were three different teams, and Mill Valley High School was one of those three teams in the Orange Class.

At the conclusion of all the performances, the band scored a rating of a two, which was good enough to place them in third for their class.

Band Director Debra Steiner said the band had been practicing for this festival and was pleased with the results.

“I was pretty happy with the outcome,” Steiner said. “It was definitely one of our best performances in a while.”