BY PATRICIA KELLER
WEST MILFORD - The 2018 West Milford Highlander Marching Band completed its competition season undefeated, including first place wins for three USBands major competitions including a state and national championship.
The band kicked off its successful 2018 competition season on Sept. 29 with a first place win in the Wayne Valley contest. The band scored 80.65 and earned Caption Awards for Best Visual, Best Color Guard and Best Percussion.
The wins kept coming for the Highlanders with subsequent success in the next two competitions, both held on Oct. 6.
In Pequannock, the band took first place with a score of 86.3. In the misty rain at the Randolph “Under the Stars” contest that same evening, it won Group V A 1st place with a score of 91.1. In both competitions, the Highlanders took home all the awards for its division- a clean sweep of all
Group V A Caption Awards for Best Sections / Groups and Best Overall Sections / Groups /Band/Effects /Visuals.
On a roll, the band then competed in the USBands Yamaha Cup contest on Oct. 13.
USBANDS is the largest competitive circuit in the nation.
This competition, typically held at MetLife Stadium, was held at Rutgers Highpoint Stadium in Piscataway this year due to NFL scheduling conflicts.
The WMHS Highlanders won the title of USBands Yamaha Cup Group VA Champions with a first place score of 90.275, and Caption Awards for Best Music, Best Effect, Best Visual, and Best Percussion.
On Oct. 20, the Highlanders swept all awards at the Ridge Competition at Basking Ridge High School, including 1st place with a score of 89.550, and all Caption Awards.
The band next competed in the esteemed USBANDS NJ State Championship competition on Oct. 28.
Originally scheduled for Oct. 27 at Rutgers Highpoint Stadium, USBands was forced to reschedule and relocate the event due to extreme weather conditions.
Each group division was given a new date of Oct. 28, as well as an alternate competition performance location. The Highlanders and the rest of the Group V A class division were reassigned to perform at South Brunswick High School in Monmouth Junction.
The Highlanders earned the top score of 94.150 for their Group V A division, winning 1st place and the title of NJ State Champions for the second consecutive year; and for the third year in the past four years.
In addition to winning the State Championship title, the Highlanders received Caption Awards for Best Percussion, Best Music, and Best Overall Effect, and were also honored to receive the highly regarded 2018 Esprit de Corps Award - which is given by the United States Marine Corps to the band that best demonstrates pride, professionalism, and patriotism.
The Highlanders received an exciting, celebratory welcome as they returned home that evening, as members of the West Milford Police Department and The West Milford Fire Department met and escorted the buses with lights and sirens blaring from Route 23, near Echo Lake Road, to the West Milford High School.
A large crowd of parents were gathered there, and proudly greeted their student champions upon arrival waving colored ribbons, shouting cheers, and taking photos and videos of the kids.
The band then set sights on its ultimate goal- the USBands National Competition at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Nov. 3.
The band maintained its usual practice schedule and continued to work hard on perfecting its performance during the week prior to the big competition.
Upper classmen recalled last year’s season, in which the band also went undefeated- all the way up to Nationals.
When the Highlanders took the field at the 2018 Nationals, it once again wowed the crowd with its routine.
With a score of 93.650, the Highlander Band won 1st place in the 2018 USBands A Class National Championship, with Caption Awards for Best Color Guard, Best Visual, and Best Overall Effect.
The band last won first place for a National Championship competition in 2010.
An even larger crowd of supporters were gathered in a sea of black and gold Highlanders tartan at WMHS, as they waited to welcome home its National champs. The arrival of the buses set off the celebration with a parking lot full of excited supporters honking their car horns, cheering, clapping, whistling, and waving their bright support ribbons.
Each band student was greeted individually with applause and shouts of congratulations as they exited the buses and walked the path to the front doors of the auditorium to unload their equipment.
The crowd went wild again as Highlander Band Director Dr. Brian McLaughlin proudly carried the approximately 12-foot tall trophy into the school.
“This has been one of the most remarkable seasons in the history of the band,” McLaughlin said. “Our design team has worked extremely well together in creating the show, and the students have demonstrated a very mature seriousness and dedication in executing it. We are so proud of their efforts and their achievements. The band entered and won seven competitions this year. The highlights have to be winning the Yamaha Cup, winning the NJ State Championship, and, this past weekend, winning the US Bands National Championship. What an extraordinary season this has been.”
The Highlander Band will perform their award-winning 2018 field show “Dia de Los Muertos” one final time as they host “The Highlanders 19th Annual Military Concert and Tattoo” fundraiser and community show honoring Veterans on Nov. 10 at the West Milford High School.
For more information about the Highlander Band, or to purchase tickets for the Tattoo concert, visit www.wmhighlanderband.com.