Newspaper Page Text
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August 31, 2022
•Reporter
Bulldog Brigade stoked for
a rousing season for MP band
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
The Mary Persons Marching Band is
back in full force, 131 members strong,
and is ready to wow the crowds at football
games with its new show The Bulldog
Brigade practiced through the summer
heat, July 11-22, and is now polishing and
perfecting its music and movements.
New Mary Persons band director Reagan
Sanders is confident in the performance
skills of her band as she begins her first
football season. She is assisted by Ste
phen Braswell, band director for Monroe
Countys three elementary schools, and
Natalie Klein, band director at Monroe
County Middle School. Mary Persons
graduate Kyle Sullivan is working with the
percussion section.
Sanders said she also has a “fantastic”
student leadership team of 24 members.
“They are amazing—smart, talented,” she
said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”
The theme for the 2022 show is “Fancy’’
Sanders explains that something fancy
exceeds the expected, goes beyond what
others think is good enough. She said there
is a plethora of popular music that takes
the “Fancy” theme and embellishes it. The
band will perform numbers from Reba
McEntire, Madonna and Bruno Mars, to
name a few.
“It’s exciting. The kids really like the mu
sic,” she said. “It’s about being fancy, over
the top, showing off your strengths.”
The whole show is divided into three
movements. The band is ready with the
first movement and will be presenting it at
the opening games of the season, incorpo
rating additional material from the other
two movements as the season progresses.
There are solos and duets in the show,
and members of the band got to compete
for these opportunities.
“I really want to show off how talented
my kids are,” said Sanders.
She said the 2022 band is very young,
with 14 seniors and 30 8th graders. With
all of the rookies on the field, the student
leadership is important. Sanders said she
has been blessed with a fantastic booster
club that has taken many of the behind-
the-scene worries off of her shoulders, like
making sure the band members have water
in the stands. Shannon Morris has taken
on the role of Band Mom, making sure the
band’s equipment is taken care of and is
where it needs to be.
Sanders says the youth of the band holds
great promise for the Bulldog Brigade in
the next few years. As well as the football
shows, the band will participate in com
petitions, showcasing the same numbers
practiced for the games. The first will be
the Valhalla Classic in Newnan on Oct. 1
and another to be determined on Oct. 29.
Of the 131 band members, 31 are “Guard
Dogs,” members of the auxiliary flag corps.
They are coached by Amy Edwards and
Vicky Sikes. They are an important part of
the impact the band makes on the field.
“The whole band is very excited for foot
ball season,” said Sanders. “They can’t wait
for games, pep rallies and everything that
goes with it.”
Pictured, left to
right, are Kyle
Sullivan,percussion;
Natalie Klein,
assistant band
director; Reagan
Sanders,director
of bands; Stephen
Braswell,assistant
band director; Amy
Edwards, auxiliary
coach.
In the Visual Ensemble of the Bulldog Brigade are Anna Barrett, Kennedy Bell, Blair
Burnett, Isabel Chambers, Destiny Collier, Madison Davis, Sarina Eckelbarger, Sophia
Eckelbarger, Marleigh Encinas, Molly Fox, Karen Freeman, Megan Futch, Reagan Grant,
Abby Hill, Isabel Jenkins, Gracie Mabry, Natalie Mathis, D’nya Morgan, Maddie Morris,
Haylei Nobles, Zoe Oglesby, Kendyll Palicki, Phoenix Palicki, Braelyn Santiago, Zoey Shan
non, Kimoria Sims, Heidi Sykes, Erika Temple, Madelyn Thomas, Akari Traylor, and Jalynn
Weldon.
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In the Drum line of the Bulldog Brigade are Daniel Biek, Hannah Billiter, Griffin Chapman,
Sydney Cowart, Nicholas Daniels, Evan Edwards, lauryn Fox, Destiny Hansford, Scotty
Holgerson, Kaitlyn Mercer, Madison Shields, Cameron Sparks, Beatrice Stewart, Kristi
(Jinx) Taylor, and Josh Turner.
In the flutes section of the Bulldog Brigade are Emily Austin, Maddi Barfield, Jaiden Brown,
Jasmyn Delgado, Lydia Greer, Andrea Jordan, Shandi Lassor, Sam Mitchell, Avery Morris,
Kaylee Smith, and Maddy Winters. In the clarinets section of the Bulldog Brigade are Kenna
Carr, Cameron Childs, Dalitza Garcia, Richard Hazlett, Larissa Hill, Mylee Hopper, Abigail Kerr,
Makaya Knight, Silas Maceda, Alaina Madison, Aaron McCoy, Sydney Mullis, Tristan Sikes,
Kayla Statham, Ella Stiles, Kaylee Strickland, Jasmine Weaver, and Landen White In the saxo
phone section of the Bulldog Brigade are Griffin Adams, Sara Baker, Gunnar Durden, Kaelen
Heath, Emma Henning, Kaurma Johnson, Matthew Keenan, Trent Madison, James Mixter, Isabel
Sneddon, Jackson Sparks, and Kloey Yates.
In the trumpet section of the Bulldog Brigade are Hayden Bishop, Hope Elkins, Aaliyah Fountain,
Caleb Horne, Brayson Jones, Lindsie Jones, William Little, Ashlyn Mercer, Noah Mixter, Ben
Morris, Trin Phillips, Dalton Toler, Luke VanVoorhis, Maddy Walker, and Riley Zdanowicz. In the
Mellophones section of the Bulldog Brigade are Alexis Brewer, Aubrey Newman, and Braden
Sumner. In the Low Brass section of the Bulldog Brigade are Amber Boutwell, Nathan Colley,
Hailey Driggers, Jayla Hampton, Delaney Hancock, Mason Holloway, Lucas Horne, Tyler John
son, Arianna Kent, Arielle Kent, Daniel Lopez, Grace (Ashton) Mancin, William Pixley, Cheylan
Rutherford, Trip Rutherford, Ashlyn Stover, and Joseph Thompson. In the Sousaphone section of
the Bulldog Brigade are Wyatt Andrews, Trevor Boutwell, Nicole Dawson, Sam O'Neal, and
Nicholas Turner.
Mary Persons Drum Majors
are Haylie Heath, Emma
Walker, and Megan Grant.
It's hard to imagine
this being 'your last
high school marching
band season! We have
enjoyed watching
you the past
4 years and
we hope this
is the best
season yet!
Love.
Mom, Dad,
£ Laney
Cameron,
Go, Kaya!!
We Love You!