Po-Hi Band Getting Honors

The Ponca City Senior High School’s Big Blue Marching Band has already had a successful year. They have taken top honors in all three of their competitions so far this year. Most recently they competed in the Pryor Invitational Marching Contest on October 12. Twenty-three bands were entered, and they finished third in class 6A (no ratings were given) and qualified for the evening finals. This was the first time in six years that the band has earned a spot in the finals in a contest with prelims/finals format. Special awards included Po-Hi’s Color Guard being chosen as Outstanding Color Guard for the contest.

On October 8 the band was named Grand Champion at the Southeast Kansas Invitational Marching Contest in Coffeyville, Kansas. Eleven bands competed with Po-Hi being the best band of the day. The group received a final tally of 81.9 points to win the first place trophy. Ponca City also received the Outstanding Percussion Caption award. Each band also received ratings from adjudicators with Ponca City receiving “1’s.” All facets of the band’s performance including playing, marching, and general effect were figured into the total scores.

The fall marching season competitions started on October 1 at the Tri-State Marching Festival in Enid, Oklahoma. Fifteen bands participated and Po-Hi earned a Superior (1) rating. There were no rankings or special awards given at this contest.

The band will wrap up their contest season with their performance at the OSSAA Class 5A and 6A East Regional Marching Contest on Wednesday, October 23 in Broken Arrow. Their performance time at the stadium will be 1:00 p.m.

The band will also have a great opportunity on Thursday, October 24 to have a clinic with Dr. Doug Henderson, Director of the Oklahoma State University Marching Band. This clinic will be held from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Sullins Stadium.

Band Director David Christy said, “The students have worked hard and we hope the successes we have earned thus far help carry us to a Superior rating at Regionals.”