Pap-i-o. Papio! Num-ber one. Number one! This may sound like a student section at a football game, it’s actually the sounds of the Papillion-La Vista marching band at a competition.

Every fall the Papillion-La Vista marching band begins their competition season. At their second competition during the 2022 season, the band was awarded second place in finals competition as well as being awarded best drum majors and best musical performance. 

This year the Papillion-La Vista marching band is competing with their show; The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars.

“I think this show has been out of the four years of my marching band experience, this has been the hardest music,” senior drum major Meredith Koehler said. “and some of the sets are probably the hardest sets that have ever been given in a show.”

The marching band has been working hard with practices every morning before school, and after school a couple times a week.

“Being able to know that, our hard work is being recognized and all the little stuff we’ve been working on at practices is awesome,” Koehler said.

With all of the work being put in it certainly was not a surprise to many when the marching band was given the award for best drum majors.

“I was literally gasping, because it’s just something you don’t think about while you’re conducting,” Koehler said. “You don’t think, Oh I’m gonna win an award for this, so I was just doing my thing”

The marching band also took home the award for best musical performance.

“Out of all the competitions and football games, that was probably one of the best performances we have ever had,” junior section leader Maddie Fairman said.

The drum majors believe that the band is the best it has been for a while.

“We’re competing at some of the highest levels that we’ve ever competed at,” Koehler said.

The marching band continues their competition season on Oct. 8 at the Elkhorn Sounds of Excellence Marching Invitational.

“I think we’re at a place to just keep improving and improving,” Koehler said, “I think it’s only going to go up from here”