EDINBURG — After a busy weekend, the Edinburg North High School band will compete at the state marching band competition at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Alamodome in San Antonio against 40 other bands.
This is the fourth time that the school’s band has made it to state. Edinburg North last attended the state competition in 2014.
In October the band received a Division 1 rating at Pigskin and then advanced to the area round of competition where they earned second place in the finals.
Edinburg North band director Chad Dempsey said this group of students is the most resilient he has ever had.
“They’re willing to try anything and work hard and our motto since day one has been, ‘We’re gonna get better tomorrow.’” Dempsey said. “So, whatever you were today, tomorrow you’re gonna be better.”
The band director said his students have gotten better with every performance and said he cannot wait to see them strut their stuff on the biggest stage in the state.
“For our kids from Edinburg North to get to perform and share their skills and what we do with the rest of the state at that contest, that is what we look forward to most,” Dempsey said
The band will be performing its UIL Pigskin show entitled, “Shine.”
“The show is all about coming from the dark and things that have not been good and finding the light for the students and everybody trying to get out of last year,” Dempsey said. “When they perform the goal is for them to shine bright.”
Alexis Quilantan, a junior drum major for Edinburg North, said it felt surreal to hear her band’s name be announced for state.
“We’ve been preparing for this for so long it’s like, wow, we’re finally there,” Quilantan said. “After a long year last year I feel like everyone came back stronger and we’ve been able to become so much better because we all feel so close and connected because of what we’ve been through.”
The drum major said she is confident that they will do well at the state competition.
Marcus Valdez, a senior section leader for Edinburg North High School, said he is proud to compete with his bandmates after working hard on this routine since July.
Valdez said he and many of his bandmates were more excited to compete this year after staying at home for a year amid the pandemic.
“It was pretty amazing, we were hoping for it and shooting for it and once we heard our name we were shocked and surprised and it was just an amazing night,” he said.
Valdez said Pigskin was one of the band’s greatest shows and since then they have been getting better and better.
The band plans to keep the momentum going at state.
