Spring-Ford Marching Rams EARN More GOLD! Another CHAMPIONSHIP

Submitted by George Growcott

Spring-Ford Marching Band Cood.

Photos by Andreina Erwin

Sunday the members met at the 10-12 Building and moved over to the stadium to prep for their TOB Atlantic Coast Championship in Hershey, PA.  Although tired from a very busy week with the Royersford and Spring City parades, along with rehearsals, Friday night football game and Saturday’s show, the performers worked to make sure that they would be ready for their big performance in Hershey.  Oh, yes they still had school everyday, along with homework and tests to keep them busy in their spare time.  With membership this year made up of almost 33% new students the band has worked to maintain the high standards that have come to be expected of Spring-Ford’s Marching Band as the represent the Spring-Ford School District. 

The band after rehearsal and some lunch boarded their buses, loaded the trucks and van needed to move all the needed equipment to show the 10 other bands, audience and judges just what Spring-Ford is about.  As the band entered the stadium to very loud cheers by the past graduates, families, friends, school administers and fans of marching bands the stage was set, as well as the band.  The Marching Rams left no question that they were ready and presented another CHAMPIONSHIP Winning Performance.  The crowd sat and waited for announcement of the scores of each of the 11 bands from PA, NY, MD and Delaware, as the Drum Majors and Band Representative returned to the field for awards.  The tension built as scores were announced until there was only 5 bands waiting the scores as the SF Rams joined hands to await the final outcome of the evening.  The wait now was about over as the announced presented Ramsey HS from NJ the 5th place award with score of 91.8, 4th Place with score of 92.40 Wilson HS from West Lawn, PA, 3rd Place for Cab Calloway School for the Arts from Wilmington, DE with score of 94.0, then in 2nd Place wit score of 95.70 Avon Grove from West Grove, PA!  Then 1st Place with score of 96.65 and winners of High Visual, High Music, High Percussion, High Drum Majors (Abby Boyce & Kerri Townsend) SPRING-FORD! 

This championship for Spring-Ford is VERY SPECIAL!  This is the 7th Tournament of Bands, Atlantic Coast Championship in the last 8 years.  Spring-Ford now holds more Group 4 Championship Atlantic Coast Championships then any school in the 41 Year History of this Championship event.  The Group 4 Class is the class with the largest bands.  This title, along with the TOB Eastern PA Championship that the band won two weeks ago, now give the Spring-Ford Marching Band a total of 8 PA Regional Championships, 7 TOB Grand Championship Titles and 3 Cavalcade of Bands Championships over the last 8 Years!  This impressive total of 18 Championship Titles have been achieved out of 19 Championship Events, the 1 Title not brought home was a second place finish in which Daniel Boone HS won the title over Spring-Ford by .05 of a point (half a tenth of a point).

This Saturday evening the Marching Rams return to Hershey for the Cavalcade of Bands Championship for the first time since 2010.  The Yankee (OPEN Div) the class for the largest bands and the top level grouping, will be performing as they work to make the show even better than this past weekend and supporting the football team as they head into district playoffs.  The band hopes to see lots of friends and supportors in Hershey Park Stadium Saturday night to cheer them on to another great performance.  The division starts about 7PM and besides Spring-Ford will be other local bands such as Boyertown, Springfield, Upper Darby, Upper Moreland, Wilson and North Penn along with special presentation by Kutztown University.