End of a Record-Breaking Season for Marching Dodgers

The Madison Marching Dodgers scored a 93.40 last Sunday, earning them 6th place in Atlantic Coast Championships. Their performance also scored them 2nd in percussion, 5th in drum major, 6th in brass, 9th in woodwinds, and 11th place in color guard (auxiliary).

While this isn’t the Dodgers’ highest placement at the end of their competitive season (it’s their second highest, the first being 5th place in 2015), it has been a record-breaking year. The Dodgers’ scores throughout the season are:

Week 3 (Sep. 22): 1st place in competition, 8th overall; 80.3

Week 4 (Sep. 30): 1st place in competition, 7th overall; 83.4

Week 5 (Oct. 6): 1st place in competition, 7th overall; 85.6

Week 6 (Oct. 14): 1st place in competition, 6th overall; 91.45

Regions Rank (Oct. 21): 1st place in competition, 7th overall; 91.85

ACC (Nov. 4): 6th place, 93.40

Scoring is based on multiple categories: a visual score, separated into individual and ensemble performance, and a music score, separated as well. Individual scores are judged “on the field,” meaning judges walk through the band at watch closely at individual technique and playing. Ensemble scores are judged from the press box, where judges look at the success of the band as a whole. Color guard, members of the band that do not play an instrument but perform with flags and weapons (rifles and sabres).

The color guard, percussion, and drum majors are, at certain competitions, judged as well with separate scores. The scores themselves are not factored into the overall, but the success of these groups are certainly crucial for the success of the band.

While this is not the highest score the Madison Marching Dodgers have received, it certainly is a record-breaking year for the band. The Dodgers have not only won every regular season competition but won the Regional competition before Atlantic Coast Championships for the second year in a row.

There have also been records set during ACCs; the Dodger Drumline, composed of snare drummers Sean Bennett (19) and Josh Oyediran (20), tenor players Steven Mantone (19) and Harrison Teele (21), and bass drum players Joey Verbaro (19), Tyler Peterson, Brian Meder (21), and Rishi Arun (22), have scored a whopping 19.4, losing only to Allegany by one-tenth of a point. The Marching Dodger drum majors, Kendall Marino (19) and Ellie Culin (19) have also had an incredible season. At the last regular season competition in Governor Livingston, they won best drum major with a 17.9. At ACCs they scored an 18.6, getting sixth place. This is a record for the Madison Marching Dodgers. Also impressive were the rankings of the brass line and the woodwinds, who got 6th place and 9th place respectively.

Unfortunately, this year marks a big graduating class from the Madison Marching Dodgers. Sixteen seniors, making up more than 20% of the band, are graduating. Most of these seniors are prominent leaders in the band and all sections except for saxophones will be heavily affected.