Enthusiastic band kids from all over region 16 traveled to Abernathy, Texas, last Thursday for ATSSB All-Region tryouts. This included SEHS’s seniors Melany Vidales and Alex Alvarez, juniors Emma Samaron, Isabella Gonzales, Grace McIver, and Xavyer Mosqueda, sophomores Nehemiah Castillo and Kenzie Henson, and freshmen Alexis Anchondo and Mareli Hidalgo. Besides Springlake-Earth, other schools traveled from farther away to attend the event.

“People come from far away,” Mosqueda said. “They will stay in hotels, and it shows how comp you are because of how many people you compete against.”

Heading into All-Region, the emotions among individual competitors ranged from great excitement to complete tension.

“When we got there, some people were nervous, and some people were confident,” Mosqueda said. “There were just emotions everywhere about how the day would go.”

After arriving in Abernathy, the students went into their holding rooms. Some were intimidated because the tryouts could be heard in the holding room. Mosqueda, however, took a different approach. 

“I had my usual mentality; I told myself I was the best, so I believed it and wasn’t nervous,” Mosqueda said. 

McIver, on the other hand, was not impressed with how she did after her audition, but the results showed a good job done.

“I came out of the audition, and I thought I did bad enough to get last place,” McIver said. “The fact that I did better than I thought gives me hope for next year.”

The tryouts started around two and lasted until 7:30.  

“The day was boring when it first started,” Henson said. “I was second to the last person from Springlake to go.” 

Despite the long day, a few of the students found success. Samaron placed third with flute, Mosqueda made 10th with tuba, and Anchondo did not make the band but is first alternate as 11th with euphonium

“I wish the ones that do go good luck, and I hope they have fun,” Henson said.  

Samaron and Mosqueda, along with senior Oscar Flores who made the Honor Band, will leave school this Friday to rehearse. They will perform Saturday, January 28, in Lubbock, Texas.  

“I was pleased with how we did,” band director Herbert Herrera said. “All region pushes you out of your comfort zone with your instrument in comparison to the high school group.”