Battle Of Bands Pits 2,000 High Schoolers

FOR THE RECORD: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 CORRECTION: Central Valley High School placed first in the Class AAA division, Mead was second and Kamiakin, from Kennewick, took third at the Lilac Festival Pacific Northwest Marching Band Competition. Results of the competition were wrong in Sunday’s newspapers.

Josh Wetmore and Rich Byers rolled onto their bass drums, stood on their heads and thundered away.

It was a wacky move, but it served its purpose as the crowd at Spokane Falls Community College howled its approval.

“You know the crowd likes it by their clapping,” Wetmore said.

Wetmore and Byers, from Shadle Park, were one of almost 2,000 high school band performers who pulled out all the stops during the final round of the Lilac Festival Pacific Northwest Marching Band Championships on Saturday night.

Bands from 15 high schools throughout Eastern Washington competed all day for the right to perform for up to 11 minutes in the finals.

The 97-member East Valley band was the first to march onto the football field, their green-trimmed, white jackets shimmering under the lights.

“God they’re nervous,” said Calvert Anderson, the school’s band director, who was not immune to a slight case of nervousness either. “I hope they don’t suffocate.”

This was the band’s first time in any competition.

“I think they’re overwhelmed,” Anderson said as the trumpet section missed its cue to march.

North Central, whose band tradition is the oldest in Spokane and dates back over 100 years, was another first-time competitor at the 3-year-old Lilac championships.

For NC junior, drum major Stacy Hockett, the competition, though tense, was a welcome change to performing in front of crowds at football games.

“It’s neat to see other bands and you know they are more critical,” Hockett said. “And when you do something good, they recognize it.”

Aaron Keeney, Hockett’s drum major partner, concurred.

“I could go for another 10 (minutes). I’m pumped,” the senior said.

All four Valley schools appeared in the competition for the first time and all made the finals. District 81 was also well represented. Only Lewis and Clark High School did not to compete.

Eight judges scrutinized the bands, beginning as soon as they walked through the gate to enter the stadium. Judges critiqued the bands’ formations, the performance of the flag teams, as well as its musical performance.

“Every kid on the field is varsity,” said Shadle Park band director Kevin Hartse said. “Nobody is a bench-warmer, so to speak. Everybody has got to be as close to perfect as they can.”

Feedback was compiled on tapes which were given to the bands between the preliminary and final rounds, allowing the bands that advanced to the finals about three hours to make changes.

“They work so hard all fall to put a marching show together, it’s nice for them to be judged by experts in the field and compare themselves to other bands,” Hartse said.

His band was in its third year of competition, but was making its first trip to the finals. That’s why Hartse decided to shake things up by turning Wetmore and Byers upside down.

And Wetmore was glad he did.

“We rocked, that’s about it,” Wetmore said.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WINNERS Here are the Lilac Festival Pacific Northwest Marching Band Championship Winners:

Sweepstakes Trophy Ferris

Class AAA First Place - Ferris Second Place - Central Valley Third Place - Mead

Class AA First Place - Cheney Second Place - University Third Place - Wenatchee

Class A First Place - Clarkston Second Place - West Valley

Best Percussion - Ferris Best Brass and Winds - Ferris High General Effect - Ferris Best Marching - Ferris Drum Major Award - Central Valley Best Color Guard - Ferris