On Mar. 29 the PHS drumline and winter guard competed in the Winter Guard State Competition at Mesquite High School. The drumline earned a rating of fourth place and the winter guard earned a fifth place rating. Many people might think that the marching band and color guard season ends with the last snap of the high school football season when in actuality, the last play on the gridiron is only the beginning for the musicians and performers.

“I feel like we could’ve gotten a higher place in state, but we were in a lower division before now so I guess it was an improvement this year,” Cobey Floyd said.

This year was different than previous years because they are in a higher division (scholastic open indoor class) and they had to compete against tougher schools.

Senior Gabrielle King, head marimba player, explained, “In the past, our biggest challenge has been numbers, and compared to other open class front ensembles specifically we are small, but seeing as we proved to Arizona and California that we are able to hold our own is a huge mark to our efforts and dedication.”

Winter guard faced similar struggles.

“Being in a higher division, we were up against some really good guards. It took a little bit of time to adjust and figure out how we needed to change in order to be the best that we could be,” Junior member of winter guard, Paige Goranson, said.

Both groups accepted the challenge. They let the higher division motivate them instead of put them down.

“We were pushed hard this year, and the group overall responded positively,” King said.

Apart from the fourth place and fifth place rankings, both groups feel as if they did their best and are overall proud of the season as a whole.

“Overall, I am proud of the season. I am proud of the team that we have become. And I am proud of the show we went and competed with,” Goranson said, “our placement at state represents our placement in other competitions. In the end and we worked our butts off to be the best that we could be.”

King is also proud of the drumline’s season, describing “The amount of dedication, commitment, and overall enthusiasm of our group is insurmountable and will only grow as the years progress. I am so excited for the future of this program as well.”