Coming off wins at Regionals and States, the Tyrone Marching Band is looking forward to its final competition and biggest test of the season this Saturday in Hershey.
The band claimed the Region 11 Championship title on October 18 with a score of 86.7, sweeping the competition by earning top honors in percussion, color guard, visual performance, and music.
Their regional victory was followed by an even more impressive first-place finish at the Pennsylvania State Championship the following weekend, where the band earned its highest score of the season, a 90.96, competing against six other bands. They again took home awards for High Visual, High Music, and High Percussion.
These strong performances placed Tyrone second overall in the rankings, just 0.14 points behind the first-seeded band heading into their final competition this weekend.
“I think we are doing great. I think it’s the best show we’ve ever had,” said junior drum major Cliff Wilson. “We’ve changed the way we run rehearsals, and that really helped.”
Wilson will lead the Golden Eagles against 21 other bands this Saturday for the top spot at the Atlantic Coast Championship.
Band Director David Hock praised his students for their dedication and growth throughout the season.
“I am very proud of these talented students and how hard they have worked to get this far,” Hock said. “We push pride, passion, and excellence. It’s important that the students give everything they have and be passionate about it.”
The band’s 2025 field show is titled “Both Sides of the Tracks.”
The performance explores the idea of division and unity, inspired by the idiom that refers to the social and economic divides within a community.
The show reminds audiences that while people may come from different “sides of the tracks,” shared experiences and empathy bring them together.
“When we start to see others as people and treat them with kindness and understanding,” Hock explained, “we join together to become a stronger community.”
The band is led on the field by drum majors Cliff Wilson and Hannah Gabel. Soloists, in order of appearance, include Emma Connelly, Alexis Martinez, Hannah Gabel, Evan Laird, and Aden Miller.
The instructional staff includes Rob Bonsell, Corinne Creppage, Marcia Fink, Lisa Geissinger, Floyd Hunter, and Katie Mitchell.
Good luck to the Golden Eagle Marching Band as they travel to Hershey this weekend to compete in the Atlantic Coast Championship.
