As marching band members, our night began with a sense of camaraderie during practice on the football field right after school. We spent about an hour and a half fine-tuning our halftime performance. The sun was still high, but it was cold out, and the coldest made it a bit grueling, but we were all focused on putting on a great show. Once we wrapped up, we headed back to the band room to don our uniforms, known as bibbers.

By around 4:45 PM, the 8th graders started arriving. This was their big night to experience what it’s like to be part of the high school band, so we took some time to guide them, showing them how to play their instruments alongside us and answering any questions they had.

After finishing our meal, we dressed up in our uniforms while the 8th graders were still eating. After we were ready and the 8th grade were outside, we formed two lines and positioned them in the middle as we prepared to march down to the field. As we neared the field, the football team was already lined up in the tunnel, and as they sprinted out, we were blasting the fight song. It’s always such a rush, the combination of the cheers from the crowd, the lights, and the energy from the team hitting the field.

Once we settled into the stands, it was time for the game to start. The first ten minutes of the first quarter were intense, with no touchdowns from either side, what most ever happened. The air was filled with tension as both teams tried to break through. We, the band members, were on the edge of our seats, our hearts pounding with each play. Then, around the 12-minute mark, the Eagles scored a touchdown, and with a penalty, they gained nine points. Unfortunately, things did not go well for our team from there. We had several first downs that gave us hope, and during the second quarter, we even got as close as ten yards from the end zone. However, despite those efforts, the scoreboard was a painful 30 to 0 when the second quarter ended.

The marching band took center stage during halftime. It was our moment to shine, and I think we nailed it. Our formations were tight, and the music sounded great. The 8th graders watched from the stands, soaking in what it would be like for them next year. After halftime, they headed out, and we felt a sense of accomplishment as we got a break during the third quarter.

As the third quarter wrapped up, the score had climbed to 44 to 0. Watching it unfold felt rough, but we stayed ready, still playing our hearts out in the stands. The fourth quarter was more challenging. The Eagles managed to score more touchdowns, and with just thirty seconds left, the scoreboard showed 56 to 0. Something incredible happened when it felt like the night was ending on a loss. One of our yellow-jacketed players made a spectacular run and scored a touchdown with only ten seconds remaining. The entire crowd went wild. In the band, we jumped into action, blasting the fight song like it was the game-winner. We were all cheering, feeling like we had won the game ourselves. It was a moment of pride, even with the scoreboard reading 58 to 7.

As the final whistle blew and the game officially ended, we gathered ourselves and marched back to the band room.