The Sayreville War Memorial High School Marching Band earned top honors at the Tournament of Bands State Championship on Oct. 24. SAYRVEILLE — In an impressive display of talent, the Sayreville War Memorial High School Marching Band earned top honors at two major competitions — the Tournament of Bands State Championship on Oct. 24 and the Tournament of Bands New York Metropolitan Region Championship on Oct. 25.
The victories came a day apart, and marked the first time the SWMHS band has won both the state and regional tournaments within the same year.
The state competition on Oct. 24 was held in Toms River and the region event was held in Union the following day.
Band director Paul T. Caruso said he “couldn’t be happier” with the band’s performances.
According to Caruso, band members strive for perfection and come closer to achieving this goal every year.
The Sayreville War Memorial High School Marching Band earned top honors at the Tournament of Bands New York Metropolitan Region Championship on Oct. 25. Tenor drummer Zachary Blend, who has been with the marching band for four years, shares that sentiment.
Blend credits the band’s success to the length of time students have been with the band, explaining that students typically join the marching band while they are lower classmen, which helps them develop as the years go on. In fact, 30 of the band’s 88 members currently attend Sayreville Middle School.
A strong bond exists within the SWMHS Marching Band, according to band president and clarinet player Jessica Flaherty, who said she receives “love and support” from everyone involved in the marching band program.
She said middle school students look up to the seniors and the seniors benefit by assisting the younger members and passing on their knowledge. Flaherty noted that she remains in contact with her own senior bandleader.
Blend pointed out that when the seniors graduate, band members are able to build on what they have accomplished.
The road to the championship wasn’t entirely smooth. On the weekend before the competition, the marching band faced unexpected difficulties brought on by a sudden drop in temperature, which affected their tempo.
Nevertheless, as Caruso put it, the band continued to put in hard work and “jelled together.”
Caruso had strong praise for the band, describing Sayreville’s students as “fighters” with “immense passion” who are not afraid to work hard and are ready to deal with extreme weather, both hot and cold.
“They want to be the very best,” he said.
He also praised the band’s staff, whose efforts he called a labor of love. With their recent victories, Caruso believes the school has never been better.
The success of the SWMHS Marching Band extends not just to the school, but to the Sayreville community as a whole.
Blend noted that the band is growing and continues to gain support in the borough, adding that the band recently received a commendation from the Borough Council and following their first-place finish in the regional championship, the band was greeted by Mayor Kennedy O’Brien.