Big Blue Band wins 6A championship over weekend
The Neshoba Central Big Blue Band won its first-ever MBDA/MHSAA State Championship, surpassing 10 other marching bands in the 6-A category at the state competition held at Pearl High School on Saturday.
The Color Guard earned the first position at the State level, further demonstrating the band's prowess, while the Percussion section secured the third position.
“It was a fabulous year,” said Daniel Wade, Neshoba Central Band Director. “The students stepped up to the plate and bought into the culture already established here at Neshoba of striving for excellence in everything we do.”
This championship followed a series of qualifications that took place on Oct. 7 during various local regional evaluations.
During regional evaluations, a panel of six judges assessed the band's performance, including the color guard, percussion, and drum majors, assigning ratings such as Superior (1), Excellent (2), Good (3), and Fair (4).
The Big Blue Band has a long tradition of maintaining high standards of performance and showed out when they hosted their regional evaluation at Neshoba, receiving the coveted "All Superior" rating.
“I’m extremely excited for our kids, alumni, community, and band parents. It’s a huge honor to bring a state championship back to our home county,” Wade said. “You have to put the time and energy into it. We started practicing on this particular production in June going through summer camps, after-school practices, and various other competitions throughout the state and out of state.”
Despite being a relatively recent entrant in competitive marching, the band has consistently proven itself as a top contender over the past seven years, placing top-five several times and finishing third in 2021.
Wade attributed this success to strong support from parents, the community, and the school administration.
Neshoba Central's band program has been under the leadership of Daniel Wade for 19 years, and he has served as the head band director since 2011.
He works alongside assistant directors Ashley Wade, Ryan Bays, and Amanda May, with adjunct staff member Haley Bays contributing to the band's achievements.
Members of the Big Blue Band are Olivis Adams, McKayla Baldwin, Kennedy Baysinger, Lilly Beckham, William Beddingfield, Fallyn Blaine, Allen Boswell, Nacole Brantley, Jacen Breedlove, Jackson Brown, Zoe Burks, Tabi Burton, Tanner Chunn, Majure Clearman, Ca’Shanti Clemons, Bradley Collins, Grant Cook, Tara Cotton, Dulce Maria Coyt, Sakari Davis, Jazmen Davis, Gracey Dertinger, Emily Doss, Ryan Dunn, Clayton Fortenberry, Ethan Fox, Lakora Fox, Hudson Frazier, Kaylee Fryery, Ricky Garcia, Camden Garrard, Chris Gentry, Kami Gentry, Gavin Gray, Kameryn Grimes, Jade Hall, Gabbi Hernandez, Simeon Hernandez, Avery Kate Holland, Kendralyn Houston, Peyton James, Dylan Jenkins, Gracie Johnston, Kristi Joy, Dylan Kennedy, RaeAnn Killen, Kaylee Kilpatrick, Barrett Knight, An Le, Kanichkiya Lewis, Keith Liner Liner, Peyton Logan, Maddox Madison, Anna Kay Martin, Izzie May, Liza May, Kinsley McWilliams, Jayla Morris, Brendan Nowell, Kinadea Pace, Aliah Perez, Ariana Permenter, Lakyn Pickett, Billie Pike, Shelby pope, London Porter, Matthew Pullen, Sofia Ramirez, Jayden Reed, Remington Reed, Rylan Reid, Makayla Rhodes, Gracie Rigsby, Rainey Robinson, Hayden Rush, Trinity Rushing, Jacey Ryals, Julie Ryals, Mattalyn Sanders, Gage Sanders, Mallory Sanders, Zoey Sanderson, Dillon Sardin, Malia Saterfiel, Chloe Savell, Hadleigh Savell, Ivie Savell, Madelynn Savell, Sarah Savell, Kerilynn Schmid, London Scott, Ken Seals, Eli Sharp, Maqueayla Shoffner, Sawyer Skinner, Noah Skipper, Isabella Smith, Seth Smith, John Spears, Gabbie Spire, Kenadi Stallings, Shot Stribling, Leigh Allyn Stroud, Hannah Sullivan, Taylor Sullivan, Melody Suttles, Cade Swift, Kobe Tangle, Boyce Thomas, Netiyah Thompson, Lillie Thompson, Mari Thrash, Tingle Coleman, Timmaria Triplett, Morgan Tucker, Shelby Walsh, Autumn Waters, Brylee Weems, Calleigh Weems, Hunter Weems, Destiney Wilcox, Riley Winstead, Joslian Winter, Jaliyah Winters, Avery Withers, Carter Withers, Zarria Woodward, Zylah Woodward, Payton Yarbrough and Rilee Yeatman.