The drumline never fails to keep everyone on their toes under those Friday night lights. The talent they bring is extraordinary. This talent has recently been showcased at the Southern Plains Marching Band Festival.

On October 22nd, the drumline earned second place in percussion caption at the Festival. They came up short of winning the competition by one point. Although they did not win, this amazing score is a reflection of all the dedication they have put towards the drumline. Senior captain Mathew Clayton recalls the dedication he has put towards succeeding in the drumline.

“[My advice for freshmen would be to] practice out of school. Don’t just rely on practices during school, because if you put in work, that will give you room to grow. [Then,] you can just get a lot better,” Clayton said.

Coming into high school can be scary, but having consistent classes can help calm nerves. The significance of students starting their drumline career so early is to develop fine-tuned skills by the time they reach high school.

“I started drumline in about sixth grade when I helped out the high schoolers when they didn’t have enough percussionists,” Sophomore Tobias Ives said.

Dedicating a large amount of time to something pays off in many ways beyond awards. In an environment where students can enjoy other students’ hard work is truly inspiring. It will also leave memories that will last a lifetime.

“[My favorite part of drumline is] playing, performing, and giving other people joy,” junior captain John Horn said. “Watching the student section really get into it and being together with us.”

All good things have to come to an end eventually. High school seems to come and go at the blink of an eye, and the hard part is never taking anything for granted.

“[I will miss] the friends I’ve made, especially with drumline, I’ve made a lot of friends over the years,” Clayton said.