Pike Central band to join Martin County bands Thursday at Rupp
BY DANNA BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County High School boys basketball team will compete in the state tournament Thursday accompanied by a 113-member band comprised of three school bands.
Martin County High School and Martin County Middle School bands will be joined by the Pike County Central High School band thanks to an unexpected alliance formed during the Martin vs. Lawrence game March 4 at the 15th Region Tournament in Pikeville.
According to Martin County High School music director Cassie Hites, the Cardinal band was unable to attend that game due to a bus driver shortage, as the district is still in recovery from the pandemic.
“They [Pike Central] were playing in the game after us,” said Hites. “So they sat up there, and some of their band members went and stood and cheered the Martin County team on in our student section.”
The tension of the tournament heightened as the Cardinals and Bulldogs ended the fourth quarter in a tie, sending the game into overtime.
The Martin County cheerleaders and fans asked Pike Central’s pep band to play for them as the game went into its fifth quarter.
“The cheerleaders had asked, ‘Hey band, can you play?’” said Jason Johnson, Pike Central band director. “It was an organic, magical moment of students cheering on other students.”
Hites called Johnson to find out how this alliance had formed and invited Pike Central’s band to join the MCHS and MCMS 8th Grade bands in Lexington for the UK HealthCare Boys Basketball Sweet 16 Tournament at Rupp Arena on March 16.
As a result of this three-school team-up, the Cardinal pep section will feature a whopping pep band. Of the 113 players total, 39 band members will be from MCHS and 15 will be attending from MCMS.
“Our whole community is excited for the students,” said Johnson. “We’re overwhelmed by the love shown by Martin County.”
Working with the Pike Central band is a full-circle moment for Hites, who began her teaching career at the school.
“My first year teaching was there. I was the assistant band director for the marching band – and taught,” said Hites. “I was the middle school band director and high school choir director, and so some of those Pike Central kids were mine then. And I have the philosophy that once you’re a student of mine, you’re always a student of mine.”
“The fact that I get to work with my previous students, as well my current students and my future students is a really, really, just completely humbling opportunity,” said Hites.
“One of my favorite things about being a band director is the pep band. I see this at football games, I see it at basketball games,” said Hites. “There’s something about a band going and playing, and I know that Jason Johnson has this philosophy – I modeled my pep band philosophy from him: the band is just an extension of the cheerleaders, as well as the pep section, and all three of us are there to work together and be the biggest support for our basketball teams.”
The Cards will face off against Frederick Douglass High School at Rupp Arena on Thursday (March 16) at 6 p.m. The winner of the pairing will move on to the quarterfinals Friday at 6 p.m., earning their spot in the Elite 8.
“We can come together and let our boys know that they got this, they can play hard, they have been playing hard,” said Hites. “Keep it up and bring us home that state championship title.”
