The Colorado marching band state competition was cancelled for every school in the state. The Colorado Band Association, also known as the CBA, cancelled due to concerns for the health and safety of students, staff, and families because of the forecasted adverse weather. The state competition was supposed to happen on Oct. 28. 

   The CBA could not reschedule the event because it was being held on the Air Force base in Colorado Springs. The Air Force base has a stadium that has the ability to hold the 8,000 or so people who were projected to show up on one side of the stadium. It is necessary for everyone to be on one side because a marching band show only faces one way.

   There was not another day that was open for use on the Air Force base, and there was not another stadium that was inside and could hold the same amount of people. 

   This means that all graduating students of 2020 will not have a state competition for their final year of high school. “The cancellation made me feel really upset,” said Elijah Pope, Class ‘20 and clarinet section leader. “I worked hard all season just for it to end up to be nothing and it hurt.” 

   There were many hours put in from July to October, starting with band camp to practices on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday every week after school. Along with doing run-throughs of their whole show every home football game and preparing with other smaller competitions. 

   But on Oct. 25, the CBA made an announcement that the state marching band competition would be cancelled due to the weather forecast of below 20 degrees with 8 inches of snow and strong winds. Even though there was no such weather in Highlands Ranch at the time, there were many different marching bands across the whole state going down to Colorado Springs. To replace the state competition, Chaparral, Rock Canyon, and HR teamed up to do a small show called the TriForce State Marching Championship.

   “I was a little bummed that the season ended so abruptly,” said Peri Hennigar, Class ‘20 and saxophone. “But I was excited to get to hang out with kids from other schools at Triforce state championship.” The Triforce championship allowed for marching band kids to finish off their season and still being able to show off their show they worked hard on.

Alex Tornato Sotelo, Photography editor