The band placed first in prelims and finals at the Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Contest Nov. 6 and the UIL State Marching Band Championships on Nov. 8-9. 

“I felt so many emotions [when they announced our name],” freshman Luke Sharp said. “I felt all my hard work really paid off, especially for the whole band. It was crazy and exciting.”

The show’s theme, “Penstriped,” was created by colorguard director Justin Sullivan who joined the band program at the beginning of 2019. The show was meant for the 2020-21 marching season, but had to be postponed due to COVID-19.

“It’s unique to Hebron because it’s actually based on our striped uniforms,” drum major Megan Ramos said. “It’s like a play on words with the stripes, and the pens [signify] us writing a story on what the Hebron band is, especially because of [COVID-19]. It’s sort of a tribute to alumni who helped us write the story of the Hebron band, like a legacy.”

Many of the incoming freshmen went through middle school band online, and Sharp said that seeing a normal year in band has been motivating. 

“I was welcomed [into the program] really well, which is something I didn’t see in middle school,” Sharp said. “I knew it was a really good program, and I want to be a part of something amazing. And we turned out to be pretty dang good.”

Ramos said that as a senior, her expectations for the year were different since she had experienced a normal year of marching season before the pandemic. 

“I honestly wasn’t thinking about the placement,” Ramos said. “I was just thinking about getting better throughout the season and the competitions, but I wasn’t surprised when we won. I could see the commitment everyone was putting in, and I feel so fortunate to have experienced it. It was more about everyone getting their job done and hard work paying off.”

The marching band’s last marching performance of the year will be at the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade held in Pasadena, CA. Soon after, they will start transitioning into concert season for the spring semester. 

“San Antonio was the end of our marching season, which I am really sad about because we don’t get to compete again, but it ended on such a high note,” Ramos said. “I just want to live in that moment forever.”