Bayfield High School was the second best Western Slope marching band in 1A competition Oct. 15 in Grand Junction, scoring just behind powerhouse rival Cedaredge.

Bayfield took 54.45 points at the Colorado Bandmasters Association Western Slope competition, while Cedaredge scored 55.60 points.

Gunnison was third with 43.95 points, followed by Olathe at 41.

“Great performance today from the Marching Wolverines,” wrote Derek Smith, Bayfield’s band director and music teacher. “We marched well, and really had the audience loving every minute of it. We were a definite crowd favorite.”

Factoring in other 1A regional performances, Bayfield goes into state competition next week ranked third among all 1A bands, just behind Cedaredge and Estes Park.

Smith said the band performed exceedingly well, just short of their goal of scoring a 55, and there were a few items to tweak before competing at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Zia Marching Festival at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, followed by state competition Oct. 26 in Pueblo.

“Way to go Marching Wolverines!” he added.

The band competes at 10 a.m. Monday at the CSU Pueblo football stadium. The top four performers out of six 1A bands competing will move into the finals, to be held from 5 to 6 p.m. that evening.