By Jim Newell
Review Editor
 DETROIT — Hail to the Dragons!
The Lake Orion High School Marching Band finished second in the state at the Michigan Competing Band Association finals at Ford Field on Nov. 5.
This is the fourth time in the past five years that the Dragons have finished in the top five in the state.
Rockford High School won the state finals with a score of 90.30; Lake Orion High School was second with a score of 88.15 and Walled Lake High School was third with a score of 88.10 in Flight I.
The state marching band championship is broken up into “flights,” which are divisions distinguished by the size of the student body at each school. Flight I is for schools with the largest student populations, while Flight V is for the smallest schools.
This is the fifth year in a row Rockford High School has won the state marching championship.
Rockford High School also won awards for best music and best visuals. Novi High School won best percussion, Lake Orion High School won best general effect and Walled Lake High School won best auxiliary.
The second place finish for the Dragons was a step up over last year’s state final.
In 2021, the Lake Orion High School marching band placed third in Flight 1 at the Michigan Competing Band Association state finals.
The Lake Orion marching band is consistently ranked as one of the top bands in the state.
In 2019, the band, under the direction of Michael Steel, placed second at the Michigan Competing Band Association state finals.
In 2018, Lake Orion finished fourth at the MCBA state finals.