Prospect wins 2014 Grand Champion Governor's trophy at Illinois Marching Band Championship

The Prospect Marching Knights competed in the 44th Annual Illinois Marching Band Championships at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Twenty-five bands in three classes (4A, 5A, 6A) competed in the Large Bands Division. In each class, trophies were awarded for first, second and third place, as well as caption awards.

The Marching Knights were awarded Best Music, Best Visual, Best Percussion, and Best Auxiliary (Color Guard) in Class 5A. The team also placed first overall in Class 5A, with fellow District 214 schools, John Hersey and Elk Grove finishing second and sixth respectively.

"What got us to where we are today is due to making sure we are playing consistently as a group;" said Senior Nick Rotunno, who has been playing the quad drums with the band for 3 years. "Mental focus is the key."

The Band's 2014 Show, titled "The Song of the Siren", also earned the highest score among the bands in combined Classes 4A, 5A, and 6A, and earned the band the Grand Champion Governor's Trophy.

The Prospect Marching Knights have been working many long hours on their show since last June, but they continue to strive for new levels of excellence with each week's practices.

Senior Steff Kopp, who has been a PMK drum major for the past two years, felt the band "gave a performance that represents where we are, and we'll continue to build on that for next week."

Kopp is referring to the band's next stop at the Bands of America Super Regional competition in Indianapolis on Oct. 25, where the Marching Knights will compete against some of the finest bands in the Midwest.