Just weeks after taking first place at a competition in Annapolis, McLean’s marching band has won yet again. On Saturday at Stevenson University, the band played a country-themed setlist in the USBands Maryland/Virginia State Competition and defeated the other team in their class for a first-place victory.

“They knew we were well-prepared and they were ready for it,” Band Director Chris Weise said. “There’s energy in anticipation of performance, sometimes nervous energy, that we talk to them about channeling into focus. They did it and gave a wonderful last competition performance. I think it was the best public run they had of the show top-to-bottom all year, so it was a great one to end on.”

Marching band has won all five of the five times they have attended the competition. They played the same songs they played in Annapolis: “Hoedown from Rodeo” by Aaron Copland, “Big Country” by Béla Fleck, “Country Roads, Take Me Home” by John Denver and “Devil Went Down to Georgia” by Charlie Daniels.

“My favorite piece is pretty much always Hoedown at the start of part three, just because we have a dance break right after that and it’s so much fun,” senior clarinetist Kaitlin McWilliams said. “There’s a drumline feature, and we get to jump around and wave our arms like we’re lassoing. It’s really funny.”

Despite the 47-degree weather and nerves, the marching band put on a well-received performance.

“This was a show that was just really well designed. It was very fun to work on and perform,” Weise said. “The audience enjoyed it and it made people smile and sing along in the stands. That’s what I enjoyed most about this one.”

After an impressive season, the band’s seniors took some time to celebrate.

“On the way back on the senior band bus, we were playing music like Bruno Mars and Mac Miller and partying with our glow sticks all the way back,” senior clarinetist Kalyna Mazal said.