LUCAS — All eyes are routinely on the football team during a Friday night game. But many of those eyes were focused on the field ahead of the regular season finale, where Lucas High School honored its band and Alumni.

It was a great turnout and a fun evening for the Lucas community.

At least 19 graduates and several seventh-graders attended the group’s pre-show event. For such a small school, the Lucas marching band consists of band years from eighth through 12th grade.

The oldest member of the group is a sophomore, four are freshmen, and the youngest is an eighth grader. This makes them a noticeably smaller group than most.

Although the Lucas group is small, it does not detract from its members’ skills, passion, or teamwork.

“We were known as being small but fierce in most other groups,” said 2017 graduate Christopher Luke.

“Our group is very close because we are so small, and there are a lot of jokes between us. What happens in the band, stays in the band,” said Eleanore Hecker, a freshman and member of the Lucas marching band.

Like every band, they have brave and hard-working members who perform. Two of the members are also cheerleaders. In previous years, it was common to see a football player participating in competitions with his instrument.

Hecker noted that freshman Sydney Nichols joined a few weeks ago but has done a great job integrating with the group.

Although she had only been in the group for a few weeks, Nichols shared that she had been around everyone since kindergarten, so they always made her feel like family.

“I enjoy being in a marching band because I love the challenges of music, the confidence I get from playing, and the friendships I make through it,” Hecker said.

He noted that most of his siblings were either in the marching band or color guard, so he was happy to continue the tradition. The trumpet he uses belonged to his father when he was in the band.

“I joined last year because of my brothers. “I entered this year because I love it, especially performing in front of people,” Hecker shared. “Our uniforms are better and more comfortable than I thought they would be. I’m even starting to love the fluffy feathers!”

Taylor Allen, who graduated in 2018, shared her experience at Lucas color guard and how that experience stays with her today.

She said Allen and Luke were high school sweethearts and have been going strong for nine years thanks to Lucas’ band and color guard.

Like Hecker, the Allen family includes a long line of members of the Lucas group and color guard. Taylor attended the alumni event with her mother, brother and high school sweetheart.

Christine Allen, Class of 1982, played trumpet in the Lucas band.

Christine was excited to attend with her daughter and son. As well as reflecting on his time in the Lucas band and the heartwarming memories he has to this day.

“I have friends for life. We started our band in fifth and sixth grade and were friends by senior year,” he said.

Christine stated that most of her favorite songs to play and dance to have always been Halloween tunes; these songs allow the freedom to be creative and spooky.

“The dance songs where we could go out and be silly were so much fun,” he chuckled.

Alumni and current band members agreed that it was a nice and fun evening to reconnect with old faces and cheer on the new members who keep the Lucas band going strong.