L.D. Bell Blue Raiders band takes third place at UIL 5A competition

By Jessamy Brown

jessamybrown@star-telegram.com

The Flower Mound Marcus High School band won its fourth consecutive state marching championship on Tuesday, earning a gold medal and leaving another Lewisville schools campus, Hebron High, with the silver.

The third place bronze went to L.D. Bell High School's Blue Raiders band.

Bands from 38 high schools in the University Interscholastic League's Class 5A competed at the San Antonio Alamodome on Tuesday, and the top 10 advanced to the finals round.

Competing in the preliminary contest but not advancing to finals were Birdville's Richland High and three bands from the Keller school district -- Central, Fossil Ridge and Keller high schools.

Keller High narrowly missed the finals, coming in 11th.

The finals marked another meeting for rivals Marcus and L.D. Bell, which have dominated UIL band competition for the past decade.

Defending champion Marcus won its third consecutive title in 2010, the last time bands from Class 5A competed for the state title.

L.D. Bell came in second in 2006, 2008 and 2010. It won the contest in 2000 and 2004.

At a Bands of America Super Regional contest last weekend, which is not a UIL event, Marcus took first place. Bell, the defending champion, took third place, behind The Woodlands High School. Hebron came in seventh place.

In Class 3A competition Monday, Argyle High School's band captured its third consecutive first place after competing against 20 other bands.

The Argyle Eagles took first place in 2008 and 2010, the last time 3A bands competed at state. Springtown High's band qualified for the finals and came in 10th.

Kennedale High was 12th, and Castleberry High was 18th in the first round, according to the UIL's website.

Next year, bands from Classes 1A, 2A and 4A will compete at state.

Jessamy Brown, 817-390-7326

Twitter: @jessamybrown

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