The Marion Patriot Pride Marching Band competed in its fourth marching contest of the 2023 season with a resounding performance at the 41st Annual Paragould McDonalds Marching Invitational on Saturday in Paragould.
Marion finished third overall out of 23 bands, behind only Munford, Tenn., and Class 7A Cabot. The band also received a season-high score of 88.1, and the color guard and percussion sections also received superior ratings for their outstanding performances.
“The level of competition was tremendous,” said Marion Director of Bands Monty Hill. “The band rose to the occasion and placed better than 19 other bands from three states.”
Hill noted that the Paragould competition used the same scoring system as the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra State Contest to be held November 1 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
"Our score of 88.1 has us very optimistic in the upcoming 6A Championship,” Hill said.
The top ten bands from the Paragould Invitation were:
- Munford – 91.1
- Cabot – 91.05
- Marion – 88.1
- Green County Tech – 86.35
- South Gibson, Tenn. – 85.9
- Union City, Tenn. – 84.35
- Brookland – 81.7
- Rivercrest – 78.9
- North Pontotoc, Miss. – 76.9
- Valley View – 76.45
The next contest for the Marion Patriot Pride Band will be Saturday (October 28), as the band defends its 2022 Grand Championship at the Arkansas State Open. Performance time for the band is 8:36 p.m. at Centennial Bank Stadium on the ASU Campus.
The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district committed to helping every student find their unique path to success in school and in life. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, a seventh grade school, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.