For 15 minutes, Homestead High School’s Spartan Alliance Band shielded their identities from the audience, creating a sea of brightly colored masks across the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

When drum major Jonathan Coats took off his mask, it marked an end of his time helping lead the band.

“I think we've come a long way since my first year being a drum major," he said. "From my first year to my last year, we made an improvement, I think that's what band is about."

Homestead was one of six northeast Indiana high schools to compete Saturday at the 52nd Indiana State School Music Association Marching Band Finals. Forty high school marching bands split into four classes performed in hopes of winning a first-place award.

Homestead received the top placement of the six northeast Indiana bands

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