(Picture: Clover High School Facebook Page)
The Clover High School Marching Band, known as “The Pride of Clover,” captured the South Carolina Band Directors Association (SCBDA) Class 4A State Championship Saturday, adding an Upper-State title earlier in the day for a historic double victory.
Competing against 21 other Class 4A bands, Clover earned a preliminary score of 91.75 to claim the Upper-State championship while sweeping the High Music Performance, High Visual Performance and High Overall Effect categories.
The band advanced to the championship finals at Blythewood High School, where its performance earned a score of 93.1 and the Class 4A state title. Clover also swept all three performance categories among the 12 finalist bands.
The championship marks the program’s third state title, joining previous victories in 1982 and 2007. All three championships included Upper-State titles.
Director of Bands Rick Langdale Jr. credited the students, educators, instructors, boosters and parents for overcoming challenges throughout the season. “This is my fourteenth year teaching and my fifth year as the Director of Bands at Clover High School. I have stood in front of many groups during my time as a director and prior to when I served on other bands’ adjunct staff, and this is by far the best ensemble I have ever had the honor of working with.”
Clover High School Principal Donna Farris praised the students’ dedication, while Superintendent Dr. Sheila Quinn highlighted the band’s musicianship and performance on championship night.
The 171-member ensemble includes musicians and color guard performers from Clover High School, along with selected students from Clover Middle and Roosevelt Middle schools.
The victory caps a season of determination following significant roster changes, including the graduation of 53 seniors and the departure of nearly 50 students who were rezoned to another district high school.
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Patrick Byrne lives in Tega Cay with his wife and two daughters. After 25 years working for a Big 4 bank, he retired to pursue his passion for writing. Additional articles and content can be found on his blog (reverian1776.blogspot.com) and freethepeople.org.
