Bands preparing for District competitions

The Northview Marching Knights have started preparing for their District competition, set for Saturday at Southport High School. [Order this photo]

Both the Northview Marching Knights and Clay City Imperial Regiment are preparing for the "second season," as District is scheduled for Saturday.

Both bands -- Northview in Class B and Clay City in Class D -- will compete at Southport High School Saturday.

Class D will feature two bands. Riverton Parke is set to start the action at 11 a.m., with Clay City taking the field at 11:13 a.m.

Heading into District competition, Clay City is coming off second- and third-place finishes this weekend. The Imperial Regiment placed second at the Avon Meijer Invitational and third at the Meijer Greenwood Band Invitational Sept. 26.

Clay City Band Director Mark Ziegler said the Imperial Regiment is close to being ready for Saturday's competition.

"We feel confident," Ziegler said. "There are many parts of the show to work on. We just need to focus on improving every week.

"We are gaining more confidence. The main goal is that each time we perform, we get better."

Ziegler said the band's show, "Another Man's Treasure," is close to complete.

"This week, we are focusing on finishing the ending of the show," he said. "We make changes and adjustments every week. The show is continually getting stronger."

Last year, Tri-West was also included in the Class D competition at Southport. However, Tri-West moved up to Class C this year.

"There are seven district sights around the state," Ziegler said. "Some of the bands that we have seen before are choosing to go to closer sights."

The Marching Knights performed their show "Vs." for only the second time Sept. 26, placing first at the Sound of Brownsburg Invitational with a score of 71.60. Northview captured overall Visual, General Effect, Auxillary and Percussion.

The Knights will be the first Class B band to take the field Saturday at Southport as they are scheduled to perform at 1:23 p.m.

"The lineup at Southport is about the same every year," Northview Band Director Bob Medworth said.

Other bands performing in Class B Saturday include Mooresville (1:36 p.m.), Plainfield (1:49 p.m.), Greenwood (2:02 p.m.) and Whiteland (2:15 p.m.).

"I think we'll be ready for district by the time Saturday rolls around," Medworth said. "We're not ready right now. The judges tell us we have a great show. We are just not performing it very well yet."

Three bands in Class C -- Beech Grove, Tri-West and Edgewood -- along with four Class A bands, Terre Haute South, Terre Haute North, Center Grove and Franklin Central, will also perform at the Southport District competition.

Tickets are $7 and $5 for the event.

Following District this weekend, Clay City will compete in the Ben Davis Invitational while the Marching Knights will take part in an invitational at Center Grove High School, both on Oct. 10.

Regional contests are scheduled for Oct. 17, while semistate contests are set for Oct. 24. The state finals are slated for Oct. 31 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Where is Southport?

Southport High School is located at 971 E. Banta Rd., Indianapolis.

To get there from Clay County, take Interstate-70 to Indianapolis. From there, merge onto I-465 S/I-74 E via exit 69 toward I-465 S/I-74 E.

Then, merge onto South East Street/United States 31 via Exit 2B. Turn left onto East Banta Road and the school is located on the right side of the road.