On Oct. 26, 2025, the West Lauderdale High School Mighty Knight Marching Band will travel to Pearl, Mississippi, to compete in the MHSAA State Marching Championships, marking the program’s fifth consecutive state appearance.
The band, under the direction of Mr. Grant and assistant director Mr. Hadley, qualified for state on Oct. 11 at the Region III Marching Evaluation, where they earned all-superior ratings. This achievement continues a strong run of state level performances dating back to 2021.
The season began in mid-July with band camp, where members began preparing for this year’s show. During practices, the band uses many different techniques to hone fundamental skills, including sectional work, water cup balancing, tracking, and providing all marchers with section leaders who specialize in their instrument and have complex knowledge of marching fundamentals. These methods ensure that each member develops both their individual skills and their ability to perform cohesively as a team.
Drum Major Lilith Hickman, shares her thoughts on the efforts of the band, stating:
”This season has been full of a lot of hard work and dedication from the band. We’ve been breaking many barriers to get where we are. We’ve spent hours working during and after school to put all of our hard work into this performance, this show. I’m truly grateful and proud of our band for putting in the hard work on top of football games, pep rallies, and competitions and still pushing to get the job done.”
Last year, they placed fifth overall at state, their highest finish so far, and hope to build on that success this season. The Mighty Knights are scheduled to perform at 3:15 according to the MHSAA performance schedule.
