Since early May, the Lakota West Marching Band has been meticulously crafting their 2024 show, “A Lakota Western” which is heavily inspired by classic Western films, music, and fun. With dancing, cowboy hats, and a whole lot of “yee-haws” to go around, this year’s production was unlike anything the school had done before.
Starting in late July, the band began to put “A Lakota Western” on the field, dealing with brutal heat and unfriendly weather. The band also experienced many difficulties during numerous practices from heat advisories, absences in the band, and staff difficulties. Nevertheless, the band pushed through and performed at five shows.
Kicking off the year, Lakota West hosted their 2nd annual band competition, the Lakota West Invitational. 9 bands, including notable schools like Kings, West Clermont, and an exhibition performance from Lakota West. Though not scored, the group got valuable feedback before departing for one of their most important shows of the year: the Bands of America Obetz Regional.
Held on September 21st, Lakota West entered their preliminary performance as the 3-time consecutive champions. The band swept their class, winning awards for best music, visual, and general effect. Going into finals, West put on a strong performance, and finished the show in 2nd, just short of winning by 0.5. The band that won, Kiski Area, put up a good fight and won with a 79.75 (with West getting a 79.25). Both groups had won this regional multiple times, making the battle of the bands exciting and close competition.
The band also took home the Outstanding Visual Performance award during finals, along with their runner-up trophy. Lakota West also won the preliminary round of the Obetz regional.
The band then performed at MSBA Springboro, where they placed 2nd behind William Mason HS, who swept the competition without batting an eye. The band did, however, score just three points behind them, recognizing the early season growth that Lakota West has seen over the last few years.
Just two weeks later, the band set out for Johnson City, Tennessee, to compete at the Bands of America East Tennessee Regional. Placing 4th overall both in prelims and finals, the band placed second in their class, finishing with a score of 83.75 behind powerhouse groups like Dobyns-Bennett, James F. Byrnes, and Lafayette.
To end the competitive season, the band traveled to St. Louis, Missouri for the Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional Championship. With 77 bands competing, only 14 would move on to finals (a huge feat of its own). This competition, however, was not unfamiliar to many in the West band program. In 2022, Lakota West took their show “Nocturnal Creatures” to St. Louis, and placed 15th, just 0.23 outside of making finals (which would have been the first time making super regional finals as a school). The band did make super regional finals at Indianapolis last year and was now seeking a 2022 redemption. Competing Saturday afternoon, the band placed 10th with a score of 83.60, advancing to super regional finals for only the second time in the school’s history.
In finals, the band competed early in the evening and had the opportunity to watch other regional finalists such as 13-time super regional champion Broken Arrow. During the finals retreat, the band slipped back to 13th place and was hit hard with score deflation (a very normal thing for large competitions), ending the night with a score of 79.15. In reality, the band likely would have finished with a score of 85 or higher.
“A big part of why this season was so special to me was simply because it was our last,” said senior drum major Saumya Goel. “I’m going to miss the family feeling and the network built around me. We’ve all gone through so many niche experiences together that no one else would understand; there is something really comforting about that.”
Goel also spoke to future band members, reminding them that we are all still teenagers at heart.
“Each year of marching band will get a little more stressful than the previous one…it’s easy to get caught up in the mess of it all. Step back, and remember that you’re still in high school. Just make as many fun memories as you can.”
The band came together one last time on Tuesday, November 12th to play through all their music from the season, including the long-standing tradition of pregame, their football game stand tunes, and their competitive show, “A Lakota Western.”
Although the season is over, Lakota West’s band program will continue to share music throughout the year during their concert band and jazz band concerts, the annual Lakota West Swing Dance, Jazz n’ Cakes, and more.
Authors Note: For myself and the rest of the Class of 2025, this marks the end of a spectacular four years with the Lakota West Marching Band. We have seen tremendous growth and numerous firsts for our program. We couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to seeing where the band goes, for next season and beyond.
