PENDLETON, SC — The Tenth Annual Marching Classic was the attraction Saturday at the new Cunningham Stadium at Pendleton High School, with 14 Upstate high school marching bands in attendance.

Hosted by the Pride of Pendleton Marching Band and Pendleton Band Boosters the daylong event drew a sizeable crowd from across the Upstate. This competition is a preliminary to the Upstate marching band finals that will occur in a few weeks.

Semifinalists for the nighttime march-off Saturday were Ninety Six, Spartanburg, Pickens, Abbeville, T.L. Hanna, Easley, Belton-Honea Path and Batesville-Leesburg high schools. Pendleton High did not participate Saturday as the school was the host of the event.

T.L. Hanna, an Anderson school, placed first when the competition was through. Pickens, Batesville-Leesburg and Easley placed second, third and fourth respectively.

As of 8:30 p.m. Saturday, the award winners had not been determined.

Will Archie, who judged the color guard of each band, expected the competition to be tight. Jocquin Fuller and Seth Murphy were set to judge different aspects of the competition, from visual effects to music and execution on the field.

“This is the first year that we will be on the field, up close and personal, to judge the competition,” Fuller said. “I expect that this will give us a completely different view as the bands go through their routines. It will allow us to communicate directly with the band director and the band members about what the judges are seeing.”

Murphy said he would be looking for consistency, marching in-step with the music, musical flow of the entire band and overall design of performances.

Roger McKinley of Pendleton Band Boosters said, “This is an opportunity to showcase Upstate marching bands. My hope is that people will appreciate that bands do more than just halftime shows at football games. They work to win competitions, too.

“For Pendleton, being a top marching band begins at the elementary-school level. Pendleton (High School) band director Rob Smith and assistant director Maggie Walter have developed an ‘attitude of excellence’ in our community. That is why we have won the Upstate title in Division AA for seven years in a row. That is something of which we are proud.”