Videos of SPFHS marching band's 2007 championship season

Here are videos taken by Dan of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Raiders Marching Band.

On Oct. 27 the band won the New Jersey State Championship in its class, Group 6A, which includes the largest high school bands in the state.

The first set of videos below is from the band's performance at the Raiders football homecoming game on Oct. 20, 2007.

Quest: Visions of a Dream
Music from "Man of la Mancha" and "Zorro."

Homecoming show, Part One:



Part Two:



Part Three:



Part Four:

Finale: An added flourish

Here's the final minute of the band's performance at the USSBA Northern States competition in Allentown, Pa., on Nov. 3. A few little visual touches had been added - you'll see Christine lead her line of flutes in a cool move at 17 seconds into this clip.

Troop 33 visits Naval Academy, other sites

Andy was among members of his Boy Scout troop who took a whirlwind tour of some historical and other sites in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia Nov. 8-10, 2007.



While at George Washington's estate in Mount Vernon, Andy took part in the daily wreath-placing ceremony at the tombs of America's first president and first lady.

See the full story and more photos

Raiders Marching Band wins NJ title

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Marching Band won its second straight Group 6A New Jersey State Championship at a U.S. Scholastic Band Association competition in Sayreville on the night of Oct. 27, 2007.

Here the band's trio of drum majors marches off with the championship banner.



The victory is a credit to the many long hours of hard work that all the band and color guard members have been putting in since "band camp" began in late August.

Christine has been playing flute for several years, in school music classes and the Park Middle School band. Now as a freshman at SPFHS she's been learning to play more difficult music, while marching in complex formations. The band's show this year, titled "Quest: Visions of a Dream" includes music from Man of la Mancha and the movie Zorro.

The band's competitive season wrapped up the night of Nov. 3 at a USSBA competition in Allentown, Pa., which featured bands from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. In Group 6A, the Raiders came in second, narrowly edged out by a band from Pennsbury, Pa.

The band will continue to play half-time shows at SPFHS football games through Thanksgiving.

FLASHBACK: 1972 - Pike's Peak or Bust

Thirty-five years ago. Can it really be that long? The six of us who trekked from Yonkers to Colorado and back again in July 1972 will never forget it. Read Lorraine's summary of that memorable trip. (If that link doesn't work, click here instead.)