Hats off to the Oxford High School Marching Band for taking first place at two competitions held recently in Pontiac and Alma.

Competing as a Class A band, Oxford scored 84.6 out of a possible 100 points at the Pontiac competition.

“The only band with a better score was Anchor Bay,” said Band Director Jim Gibbons. “They are a Class AA band and scored an 84.7, but we did not compete directly with them.”

At the Pontiac competition, Oxford also won Best Marching Performance, Best Visual Effect, Best Music Effect and Best Auxiliary.

Although Oxford was the only Class A band at the Alma competition, it scored very well among the five bands present.

“We scored an 89.4, which was the highest score of all the bands and one of the best scores the Oxford band has ever received at a competition,” Gibbons said.

“The Alma competition was not so much about where we finished as it was (about) making the show better and posting a better score . . . What we strive for is to have a better run-through of the show each time we perform. As long as we are doing that and making steady improvement, I consider the performance to be a success.”

Gibbons believes this year’s show is “one of the best” the band has done “in my 20 years at Oxford.”

“The music, which is from the musical Les Miserables, combined with everything that we are doing visually is really having an impact on the audiences that are seeing that show,” he said.

“It has been a very exciting season for me to see how the students have come together and grown in all of their skills. Our success is absolutely the result of their dedication and the dedication of the parents who have given countless hours to make this season a success.”

The marching band’s next competition is Oct. 21 at Brandon High School.

On Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m., all of the Wildcat bands will be playing in the OHS Performing Arts Center as part of the annual Band-O-Rama Concert.