Marching Band and Color Guard: Senior Spotlights
Photo taken by Roberta Pratt.
I am really proud of this senior class for persevering through all the obstacles they had to in order to complete their entire school career in band. School-wide, we see that this senior class was perhaps most impacted by COVID in terms of even participating in anything extracurricular, with some groups having no seniors involved, so these young people had to work harder to access these experiences. Much of their beginning band experience was online, which is not where music was meant to be made, and drove many students away from participating. These students were determined, though, and found their way - often without the help of an adult. A few of these students even found the motivation to become superstars on their respective instruments has helped make many of them great leaders, both musically and otherwise for the band, a truly remarkable accomplishment.
-Mr. Waite, 2026
As the 2026 Charger Marching Band season is wrapping up, we would like to recognize our seven marching band seniors as well as our three color guard seniors. Below is a little glimpse into their marching experience, as well as some advice for current marching band/ color guard members!
Carter Zieger
Trombone, Low Brass Section Leader
Photo submitted by Zieger.
When asked to describe Carter, sophomore Milah Gall said, “Carter is so talented, and super kind. He's such an inspirational person, who's passionate about what he does. I am very glad that I am able to be in his section.”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“Eating during break time at the end of band camp last year.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“More parties and hanging out as a group”
Who is one person in band that inspires you and why?
“Sania Desai and I are both really ambitious people who work really hard. I learn a lot from her.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“My awesome solo.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“Practice, practice, practice the fundamentals. It's the most valuable thing you can do.”
Gavin Patterson
Alto Sax, Marching Bass Drum
Photo submitted by Patterson (left)
When asked to describe Gavin, sophomore Braelyn Chojnacki said, “Gavin is a friendly, genuine person who always knows how to make others laugh. He is also very hard-working and clever. He is confident and has a great personality which makes him enjoyable to be around.”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“The bus rides to and from competitions in past years”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“Participating in social events.”
Who is one person in band that inspires you and why?
“Matthew Vicenik inspired me to always have fun and enjoy it whilst i can.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“The hard work even through endless struggle.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“The more you do in band, the more you will receive in return.”
Evan Wagner
Marching Bass Drum, Drumline Section Leader
Photo submitted by Wagner.
When asked to describe Evan, sophomore Leah Dobbs said, “Evan is one of the best section leaders that you could ever hope for. He is respectful, considerate, positive, and will help you in any way he could. Yes, there may be some times when the drumline needs some ‘tough love’, but he is always kind about it. He helped us in many ways, to the point where I don’t think you could list all of them. He is always there for you, meaning, if you need a ride, need extra help memorizing the music, need someone to talk to… and more. He helped convince me to join the marching band, and I will never regret joining it. He pushes us to our limits, and really tries to challenge us to ultimately make us better at what we all love to do. Overall, I couldn’t ask for a greater section leader than him. I’m glad that he is willing to lead us in the right direction.”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“One of my favorite memories was swapping bass drums, where the highest bass drum swapped with the lowest bass drum, and essentially we were all playing different parts.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“I wish I spent more time building more of a set group of drumline members.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“Mollie Westfall - Her dedication to the art is just unmatched, she cares so deeply for marching band, but also cares for everyone else.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“That even though we have had horrible start, with a very dysfunctional lead, we were able to make sure we were able to make the most out of it.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“One thing I would advise to current marching band members, is to practice your heart out; the only way the band improves, is if you also improve.”
Jack McCord
Alto Saxophone, Drum Major
Photo submitted by McCord.
When asked to describe Jack, freshman Izzy Sturino said “Jack is one of the most understanding, kind, and patient people you will EVER meet. From helping us find our drill on the field, to always being there whenever we need, Jack is one of the people who made me love band again, and for his leadership, his constant kindness, and all the laughs, car rides, McDonalds, inside jokes, and handshakes we share, I am forever grateful for him and the impact he has left on our band.”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“Being able to see the band grow and grow along with it, all the fond memories and friends I’ve made along the way,”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band
“I wish I socialized more, and cared more about the little things.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“Mollie, she has pushed me to grow and be kinder and smarter, she was one of the best friends I could’ve asked for”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“That even if a band is small the impact it has can still be larger than life.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“Enjoy the journey and give it your all!”
Josie Mutz
Color Guard Captain
Photo submitted by Mutz.
When asked to describe Josie, sophomore Sabrina Rowe said “Josie is a very dedicated color guard captain. She works hard to make sure everyone can perform at their best while being positive. Seeing her graduate makes me so sad thinking about all she’s done for the color guard.”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“My favorite color guard memories are the surprise sleepovers we throw for our new teammates. It's always an amazing time and the perfect way for us to really get to know each other.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“Looking back on my four years in marching band, my only real regret is not stepping out of my comfort zone sooner. I wish I had branched out and connected with more people earlier in the journey.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“I am constantly inspired by our new members. Joining color guard means stepping out of your comfort zone, and seeing them push through the process of learning something completely new. This reminds me to challenge myself with things I may not be comfortable with.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“Looking back, I hope people remember all the hard work they put into this season—and more importantly, the unforgettable memories that came from it.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s to always be open to others. You truly never know who might end up becoming a friend along the way.”
Alyssa Bemann
Color Guard
Photo submitted by Bemann.
When asked to describe Alyssa, freshman Greta Schneider said “Alyssa puts in a lot of effort, dedication, and love into our guard. She makes everyone feel welcome and included, and she made joining the team less nerve-wracking! Thank you Alyssa for making this season so fun!”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“The end of band camp sleepover this year was my favorite memory.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“I wish we spent more time with the whole band as a group rather than just the colorguard section.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“Paige B – she is one of the nicest people I know. She always has a smile on her face and is one of the most joyful people to work with and be around.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“How everyone pushed through band camp and made the show work out in the end.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“Be strict with yourself but still learn to have fun.”
Ray Kramer
Tenor Saxophone, Color Guard Captain
Photo submitted by Kramer.
When asked to describe Ray, sophomore Olivia Wilhelm said “Ray is one of the most amazing guard captains ever! I remember her making me feel so welcome when I joined as an 8th grader! Ray has taught me so much over these 3 seasons, and I am so grateful for her!”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“This is really hard to choose, but my favorite memory would have to be on the bus ride to Franklin last year when we were snapping back and forth with Colton and putting the pictures he sent to the back window towards the cars behind us. It might not have actually been marching at all, but I had been struggling with my mental health at the time, and it gave me a reminder about why I chose marching band and how much I loved everyone in it. It was also just so funny.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“Something I wish I did more in marching band is branch out and talk to more people. Even though this past season I branched out a bit more, I wish I would have started it sooner and made more friends from band while I could.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“A person that inspires me is Josie. This girl is always so busy between guard, work, and swim, and she always makes an effort to show up and show out. I have never met anyone as dedicated as her.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“One thing I hope people remember about this season is how much we grew all together. I know all the adults have said this numerous times, but seriously, if you were to look back and compare all the runs from band camp and the pre-season football game to now, it's a huge difference in skill and confidence.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“My advice would be to not let the little things get to you. I truly understand how sometimes it can be hard to have good days at practice for even the smallest of reasons, but if you dwell on all the small problems, you'll never have time to reflect on all the great moments that come from it.”
Mollie Westfahl
Baritone, Low Brass Section Leader
Photo submitted by Westfahl.
When asked to describe Mollie, Junior Lukas Zielinski said “Mollie was very good at keeping morale up, and was good at making sure we were paying attention and knew our sets and our parts. Even when it was hard she tried to keep the energy up. Overall she was just really cool and fun to be around.
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“Making so many great friends.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“I wish I spent more time making new friends. I really enjoyed meeting people from other schools and getting closer with people from Hamilton through band.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“Mr. Waite inspires me because he hasn’t given up no matter what. He is always putting in the effort to make our marching band the best we can be.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“I want people to remember fun memories that we made in band.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“Marching band is the best place to branch out and try new things. Don’t be afraid to step into a new role, make new friends, or go against the grain. No matter what, you will always find a place in marching band.”
Sophia Herbst
Clarinet, Clarinet Section Leader
Photo submitted by Herbst.
When asked to describe Sophia, freshman Miranda Butcher said “well if I had to describe Sophia I'd have to say she's such a hard worker, she does so much to make the section as best as it can be, Sophia set us up for success and she's someone you can totally lean on. She's very kind and she's my inspiration to be a woodwind. She's shown so much patience with me throughout the season, and she's very understanding of situations that come up and she perseveres all the time. There's not a single time I don't see her giving up or stopping, especially when she had her solo in our show and the microphone cuts out here and there, she doesn't stop, she doesn't quit, and she plays it confidently, even when it sounds how it shouldn't. She also made things so easy this year with her organization, Sophia is amazing”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“Late night competitions, having fun meeting other band members after performing and all being together for awards.”
“What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?”
“I wish I had really just slowed down to enjoy all the simple moments that I let go by or all the rehearsal nights I took for granted, not thinking I’d ever make it to be the senior leaving everyone”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“Mollie W. Because she is always striving to improve her musicianship and I really look up to her positivity!”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“The huge leap we made from parent preview night to state, even though people didn’t have much faith in us due to our small size.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“Everyone is there to help everyone, so just have fun and don’t let ego get in the way of friendship and improvement”
Mia Wilhelm
Piccolo, Flute Section Leader
Photo submitted by Wilhelm.
When asked to describe Mia, Sophomore Autumn Phillips said “Mia is an amazing section leader who really cares about our success! Even with all the obstacles we’ve faced this season, Mia handled them with such poise. The flute section loves you Mia!”
What is your favorite marching band/guard memory?
“Making friends and having fun on the field with them.”
What is something you wished you did more during your years in Charger marching band?
“Talked to more people.”
Who is one person in band/guard that inspires you and why?
“Mr. Waite really inspired me to be a better version of myself throughout my entire time in band.”
What is one thing you hope people will remember about this season?
“The memories that they made on the field and the friends that were there with them along the way.”
If you could give one piece of advice to current marching band members, what would it be?
“Practice your music, stay off your heels, and (for the love of god) listen to your student leaders!”
Seniors, thank you for four amazing years of talent, dedication, and inspiring the next generation of musicians at Hamilton!
