McKinney, Texas - At 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, the McKinney North High School Marching Band stepped into the history books as they took the field at the Alamodome in San Antonio by becoming the first McKinney ISD marching band ever to perform in a UIL State Marching Band Championship Final.
Under the direction of Gary Williams, Connor Vaughn, Michael Reed and Color Guard Director Cierra Coffee, the North band rose through the ranks of the 252 5A bands across Texas at Regional, Area, Area Finals and the State preliminary round to arrive at the State Finals where they performed their showpiece “Open Mic” among the top 12 5A marching bands in Texas.
In the judges’ final tally, North placed 10th overall, a remarkable feat in the intensively competitive world of marching bands in Texas.
“We are proud that the McKinney North Band placed 10th out of 252 bands in conference 5A,” said MISD Director of Fine Arts Dr. Jared Critchfield. “But, we are even more pleased with the enthusiasm and energy that they expended to entertain and connect with their audiences. The Bulldog Band captured the hearts of tens of thousands by executing a technically difficult show in a fun and carefree fashion.”
Critchfield said that North was clearly the crowd favorite and delivered “electric performances.”
“Hats off to the students, directors and parents who took our community on an incredible journey all season long,” he said.