EASLEY — Easley High School has a proud tradition of State Championships but one trophy has always eluded the Green Wave — a State Championship for the marching band.

Well, go ahead and mark that one off your list as well.

After earning top honors at the Upper State Championship with a score of 90.65, the band had just three rehearsal days to get ready for State, held this year at Spring Valley High School in Columbia.

As it turns out, they needn’t have worried.

“I knew early on that this was a special group,” said Director of the Band, Rick Langdale. “The culture of the band just felt right — I knew we had a shot.”

The 113 member band — including color guard — is made up of students from both Easley High as well as Gettys Middle, Langdale said. Together, the students put in over 500 hours of rehearsal time — outside of school.

“The amount of work everyone put into this just shows the dedication,” Langdale said. “You don’t really have time during the school day — this is all after school and weekends.”

The State Championship — first in school history — comes at Langdale’s fourth year at the helm.

“I’ve been with the program for six years, but this is my fourth as Director so this is the first group of Seniors that have had me all four years,” he said. “As far as winning? Wow. I can’t even express how proud of these kids I am and how thankful I am for the support the community has shown.”

Easley has won the Upper State Championship four times in the past and they’ve taken second place at State before, but to finally “get the gold” was something Langdale said he’d always remember.

“Last year we came in seventh, five years ago we didn’t even make the cut,” he said. “This shows we’re headed in the right direction … We’re doing it right.”

The band’s award winning program, “A Place of Peace,” was a collaborative effort with a music writer from Ohio, a drill writer from Pickens and designers from Pendleton and Rock Hill, Langdale said.

“It all takes place in a Japanese garden and it starts off very chaotic,” Langdale explained. “Everyone’s running around, it’s messy — and then you have a bell — and everything slows. There’s a flute solo and it goes from chaotic to calming.”

Langdale said that transition, from chaos to peace, was what drew him to the program.

“A lot of times (marching) band music can be dark, ominous,” he said. “This was more representative of life. No matter how crazy your day gets, you can take a deep breath and find calm — find peace.”

You can also find a State Championship.

EHS Director of the Band, Rick Langdale.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_band1.jpgEHS Director of the Band, Rick Langdale. Courtesy photo

Competition was fierce for the 2018 season, but EHS came out on top.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_bands.jpgCompetition was fierce for the 2018 season, but EHS came out on top. Courtesy photo

The 2018 4A State Champions.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_bands6.jpgThe 2018 4A State Champions. Courtesy photo

Easley Marching Band brings home 4A State Championship.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_ehsband.jpgEasley Marching Band brings home 4A State Championship. Courtesy photo
Marching band wins state for the first time in school history.

By Kasie Strickland

kstrickland@cmpapers.com

Reach Kasie Strickland at 864-855-0355.