Triumphant band reflects on season

By Stephanie Prokop, Staff Writer
   BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP—A day after its last competition, the Bordentown Regional High School Band is still reveling in this season’s accomplishments and members expressed bittersweet feelings Monday that such an eventful season has come to an end.
   Sitting in a semi-circle in the band room by the gleam of their shining trophies on a shelf behind them, several seniors reflected on their last marching band season. They said they are excited to see next year’s group take the momentum of the victories all the way to a national competition.
   Led by Head Drum Major (conductor) Alex Bak, the Marching Scotties entered five regular competitions this past season, capturing first place in all but one, where it placed second. The band also captured many other trophies along the way including Best Percussion, Best Overall Effect, Best Visual and Best Music.
   It entered two championship competitions, including the N.J. State Championships at Sayreville War Memorial High School on Oct. 26. The Scotties competed against the best bands of their size (Group I) in the state. The BRHS Marching Scotties Band are now the 2008-2009 New Jersey State Group Champions, taking home the Best Visual and Best Overall Effect captions while scoring a 93.95, shattering its previous season high score of 86.4.
   Before that, the band competed at the USSBA Burlington City Marching Band Competition on Sept. 27, when it won first place, as well as the Best Music and Best Visual awards.
   The most recent competition the band participated in was Northern States, a multi-state competition held every year in Hershey, Pa.
   This year, the band placed third highest out of the 10 bands that performed. Although the members were sad that they did not take home the first-place award, they said they are very satisfied with their success.
   ”We did well, and the general feeling is happiness,” said senior band member Stephen Klepner. “No one was upset about the number of our placement.”
   The band’s show includes selections from the popular rock band Foo Fighters’ songs “Monkey Wrench,” “Learn to Fly,” and “DOA.”
   ”Consistency has been constant this year,” said band director Francisco Plana-Borgstrom, and with each competition he said the band strives to do the best it can. He said in Sunday’s competition it received its highest score ever on the visual component.
   While winning the accolades has been satisfying, Mr. Planas said, it is the direct result of over 400 hours of hard work and practice between August and November.
   Although the band —with a total of 32 members, color guard included — may be one of the smallest in its division, Mr. Planas said it represented one giant family, and some of the members have pledged to come back and to help out next year’s upcoming group.
   On Sunday, the band practiced right up until the last minute. Armed with a caravan of three school buses, the group made its way out to Hershey with one bus containing the band, another with equipment, and a third full of fans.
   Having 65 of the band’s most loyal followers, including friends and family members, definitely was a morale booster, as well as the first time in the band’s history that fans have accompanied the band, said Alex.
   With the season over and the students mulling over how they’re going to use their extra hours of free time, senior Dana Lamothe lamented that she doesn’t mind the extra hours spent at practice because of how close the band has become.
   ”I really think that this is the closest we’ve ever been. It’s kinda like we are a big family,” she added.