BHS Marching Band Crowned Grand Champion

The Marching Bulldogs took home multiple trophies for their performance in Watseka, IL, near Kankakee on Saturday. Batavia High School has never before won the grand champion honor.

Armed with new uniforms and a nervous but fighting spirit, the Marching Bulldogs made history on Saturday at the Watseka (IL) Marching Band Invitational on Saturday. The Batavia band was crowned Grand Champion at the competition—it was the first time a Batavia High School band has won that honor. The Watseka performance was the band's first competition of the season.

The band won the following trophies:

• Grand Champion
• First place in Class 2A
• Best Colorguard
• Best Winds

The win was especially meaningful for Batavia Band Director Ben Collins, who is a 2001 BHS grad. He took to the Batavia High School Music Twitter account to share the news with the Batavia community. "Batavia wins!" he wrote, followed by multiple exclamation marks. "First time in school history. High guard, high winds!!!!"

The band this year received new uniforms with funds raised by the Batavia Music Buffs. The band showed them off in style during a run-through of their 2011 show Arabesque at Bulldog Stadium on Thursday.