Cougar Marching Band Kicks Off Competitive Season with Multiple Caption Wins
“The Pride of Columbia” Marching Band took the field in competition for the first time of the 2026 season at North Brunswick Township High School’s US Bands Raider Marching Band Festival. Though the CHS community has gotten a few sneak peeks at the show at our Home Football Games, the competitive season kick off is a watershed moment for the band every season.
The band blew away the packed stands of North Brunswick, performing their “Club Fuego” scorcher. The band walked away with its highest premiere score since joining the US Bands circuit five years ago, capturing the second place trophy and narrowly missing first place honors by a few tenths of a point.
What’s more, the band took away special awards for “Best Music” and “Best Color Guard,” an outstanding achievement as Columbia fields its biggest contingent ever.
CHSMPA congratulates the students in the band and color guard on their momentus first showing, a befitting reward for their hard work to date. Though Saturday’s show was their first adjudication, the detail has been working hard honing their craft in preparation for this competitive season since early July.
CHSMPA also congratulates and thanks Band Director Mr. Peter Bauer, Assistant Director Mrs. Kaelyn Rajmohan, Color Guard Coordinator Mr. D’Sherrick Williams, and Percussion Instructors Mr. Maxwell Winters and Mr. William Wheeler. CHSMPA also thanks its dedicated parent volunteers, who support the band and guard in so many ways.
This is just the start of what we know will be an amazing season! You can catch the Cougar Band throughout October as they tour NJ:
Pequannock High School, Oct 10
Wayne Valley, Oct 17
Ridge High School, Oct 24
Hanover Park High School (Rescheduled), Oct 25
NJ State Championships, Robbinsville, Oct 31
Want to support the Marching Band? Donate Now or become a CHSMPA member.