Verona High School’s Marching Maroon and White wrapped up its 2014 competition season with a “maxed-out performance” at the USBands New Jersey State Championship at Rutgers University on Saturday, October 25, in the words of band director Erik Lynch. The band scored an impressive 83.775 points for its performance of “Clockworks” in the competitive IV Open category, placing sixth out of nine bands and topping local rival West Orange High School for the first time this season.
The IV Open category includes bands that generally are much larger than the Marching Maroon and White, including large regional high school marching bands.
Verona’s other finishes for the season were:
• Third place at the South Brunswick High School Tournament of Champions
• Second place at the West Orange Invitational Competition
• Highest score at Verona’s home competition, where it performed in exhibition
• Second place at the Roxbury Marching Band Classic
The Marching Maroon and White will perform at Verona High School football games through the end of the season.
The Verona High School Marching Maroon and White is under the direction of Erik Lynch, a quarterfinalist for the 2015 Grammy Music Educator Award. The Marching Maroon and White won Best Percussion at the New Jersey State Championships in 2013 and 2012. The band took second Place at the National Championships in 2011 and is one of three bands (out of 750) in the entire U.S. Scholastic Band Association circuit to be a two-time winner of the prestigious Cadets Award of Excellence. 
Photos copyright Carmela Pinon. Used by permission.
What a devoted and stellar group of students. They gave their all as did their director Mr.Lynch to great reward this season. VHS-Hoorah!
Laura Fortgang
Verona Music Parents Association President
and Band Mom