After months of hard work, Wakeland Band’s show, “Sense of Direction,” placed third at State UIL Finals on November 8. With a combination of outstanding choreography, costume design, and song choice, Wolverines blew the judges away at the Alamodome. However, this success didn’t come without hard work.

Sophomore drum major Cami Smith plays the oboe during marching season. 

“The hardest thing about band is the rehearsals, like the 12 hour rehearsals on the weekends,” Smith said.  

Many students are required to attend these long rehearsals — the success of Wakeland’s show is a team effort. Color Guard puts in hours of training, dancing, and preparing to work with the band in creating a one-of-a-kind performance. They toss wooden imitation rifles, spin flags in sync, and carry out a complicated dance routine, all within the span of 7 minutes and 30 seconds. 

Akshaya Billa is a sophomore entering her fourth season competing in Color Guard. “There’s so many times where I’m performing- at state, in the Alamodome, on the field- and you cannot compare that feeling to anything else,” Billa said. 

Their recent achievement stands out as one of Wakeland’s major accomplishments in a long-standing career of wins. Thanks to the strength of our band, Wolverines are known for their dedication, quality performances, and victories in competition. 

“This is the first time we’ve medaled at state since 2019,” said sophomore Adayla Smeltzer.  

Overall, Wolverine Marching Band made Wakeland proud this marching season, and we’re excited to see what the rest of the year holds.