Health & Fitness
L-W East Marching Griffins take 2nd at Lancer Joust
Band, led by drum majors Justin Suda, Alan Hovorka and Teresa Mountford, also capture two caption awards for Best General Effect and Best Visual Effect
The Lincoln-Way East High School Marching Griffins began their competitive season Saturday, Sept. 8, capturing two caption awards and 2nd place overall at the 34th annual Lake Park Lancer Joust Marching Band Competition in Roselle.
“This was our first competition of the season, and it was a very good start for us competitively,” said Bert Johnson, chair of the music department.
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“I am always amazed at how many things our parents do to make this program work,” he added. “We are so fortunate to have active parents at Lincoln-Way.”
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The 111-member band and color guard joined 16 other bands from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin at the daylong competition that featured a preliminary competition and a finals competition. The Marching Griffins competed in the Class AAA category of the competition. Categories are determined by band size.
They performed their competitive show “1904,” a mesmerizing, dream-like routine with music inspired by a composition found on the album “Riceboy Sleeps” by Jonsi and Alex.
During the preliminary competition on Sept. 8, the Marching Griffins placed 2nd in the Class AAA category behind Prospect High School. They also earned a caption award for Best Color Guard and advanced to the finals portion of the competition that night.
In that phase of the competition, the Marching Griffins finished 2nd overall and captured a caption award for Best General Effect. Prospect High School finished 1st overall. Third place went to Victor J. Andrew High School.
“We can't wait to get back to work refining the field show this week,” said Johnson.
The Marching Griffins will compete next at the Bands of America Regional Competition in Louisville, Kentucky on Sept. 22.
Area residents will have an opportunity to see the band perform at a Marching Band Showcase featuring all four Lincoln-Way marching bands on Oct. 24 at Lincoln-Way West High School, 21701 S. Gougar Road, New Lenox. The event will begin at 7 p.m.
On Oct. 30, the Marching Griffins will perform at their annual Sounds of the Stadium event at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Lincoln-Way East gymnasium, 201 Colorado Ave., Frankfort. Area residents are invited to attend.
