The Lynchburg-Clay Marching Mustangs marched their show “The Greatest Show on Earth” for the final time last Sunday at the 2023 State OMEA Marching Band Finals in Piqua. The Marching Mustangs received an overall “II” rating, which is the second best score a marching band can receive.

The following was written about the season by Lynchburg-Clay senior Abigail Manning: “This season has been an overall successful one, and I think the best way to show that would be by starting at the beginning of it,” Lynchburg-Clay senior Abigail Manning said in a news release. “Sadly, our first performance of this show during band camp had to be moved inside due to the overwhelming heat that Mother Nature decided to give us that week. Then, right after band camp we got right to work having practices three times a week right after school till around 5 p.m. Our first actual public showing took place on Sept. 16 in Norwood, Ohio. At this competition we took first place in auxiliary, which is our color guard; percussion; and overall in our class. We did this without our color guard and drum major costumes being ready, and it was actually one of our first times using our backdrops. Our color guard even got second out of the whole competition.

“The next Saturday we found ourselves at Wilmington High School, where we got the outstanding visual and outstanding guard awards. The band ended up placing second in our class that week, earning a II rating.

“We had a three-week break after that where the band never failed to show up to work, dealing with Ohio weather raining out a few of our practices and gifting us with immense heat that sometimes made it difficult to focus. However, the time had come to make our way to Dawson-Bryant. Competing against two bands in our class the Marching Mustangs were able to have a clean sweep of class C, and we ended up earning a II rating once again.

“After this we had one chance left to reach our goal of state, and one week left to prepare for Ironton. In order to reach the state qualification we had to get a one rating, also known as a superior, at this last competition. At Ironton, we ended up placing third in percussion and auxiliary, and getting first overall. We also received our superior rating, granting the band two more weeks of practice. After that two weeks we got to go to a state where we earned a II rating, and ended our season graduating 11 seniors.

“These seniors will be our first class to graduate having qualified for state every year, and I am so glad that I got to be a part of this class and the many opportunities we have had. I am so proud of the work that this band has put into this season, and I am so glad that I was able to be drum major this season. I cannot wait to come back next year and support the band that has supported me so much from the stands because I know that no matter what this band is given, they will work to achieve as much as they can, while most importantly having fun in the process. This is the thing that makes me so proud to call myself a Marching Mustang.”