Arrows take first in parade at Waseca Marching Classic


The Pipestone Area Marching Arrows earned first place out of four bands in Class A at the Waseca Marching Classic on Saturday, Sept. 17 with their parade show “I Get Around.” The band finished second out of two bands in Class A in the field competition with their field show, “Ready or Not.”
First year Director Dr. Zachary Ploeger said the band had its best performance of its parade and field shows so far this year in Waseca.

“I was very pleased with it,” he said.

While it didn’t come out on top in the field competition, the band scored just 1.3 points behind Luverne, its lone competitor, in the field competition. Ploeger said falling to Luverne has motivated the students to beat Luverne this weekend at the Big Sioux Review in Brandon. He believed that was an achievable goal.

“They want to beat Luverne and I absolutely think they can,” Ploeger said.

To prepare for its next weekend of competition, Ploeger said the band would work on issues pointed out by the judges in Waseca. One of those issues was body work, or choreography. Ploeger said he’d probably take out part of the show where band members got down on one knee and keep them standing, so it would be easier to keep everyone on the same page as far as timing. He said the band would also work on improving its general effect score by adding more contrast between loud and soft parts of the show. Ploeger also planned to change the placement of the color guard during the third movement of the field show.

Saturday, Sept. 24 will be the busiest day of the season for the Marching Arrows who will compete at the Tri-State Band Festival in Luverne and then the Big Sioux Review in Brandon.

In the morning, the Arrows will be one of five bands in Class AA in the parade competition, which will take place on Luverne’s Main Street. The Arrows are scheduled to step off at 10:10 a.m.

In the afternoon, the Arrows will be one of three bands in Class AA in the field competition at the football field at the high school. The Arrows are scheduled to take the field at 12:50 p.m. Because Luverne is hosting the Tri-State Band Festival, its band will only perform in an exhibition capacity there, so the Arrows will have to wait until they get to Brandon to face them in competition.
In Brandon, the Arrows will be one of six bands in Class A. The band is scheduled to take the field at the Brandon Valley Athletic Complex at 6:45 p.m.